Homeopathy for Children

Translated by Katja Schütt and Alan Schmukler

Unicist homeopathy is a science of medicine introduced by the German physician Samuel Christian Frederik Hahnemann. He was born in 1775 and had studied orthodox medicine. Being dissatisfied with the negative side effects of conventional medicine, he stopped practicing as a physician and translated medical literature. During the malaria epidemic he started the experiment of taking quinine, the substance used to treat the disease, without being ill. Taking the remedy caused him to suffer from the very symptoms of Malaria. Wherefore he announced one of the basic principles of this true healing art: “A substance capable of producing morbid symptoms in a healthy person will cure similar symptoms occurring as a manifestation of disease“, which is called the Law of Similars. His ingeniousness let him suppose that nature offers patient’s the needed cure. Therefore he administered natural substances to a group of provers. Each of them perceived physical and emotional symptoms in their organism. This let him pronounce the vitalistic principle, stating that the material organism is governed by an energetic vital force. Disease only arises out of a disequilibrium in this force, and causes physical symptoms to coexist with emotional symptoms. In homeopathy the disease is viewed as consisting of immaterial changes in the functions of body/mind. The homeopathic remedy is used to restore balance.

Homeopathy applied to children offers wonderful results, because homeopathy can affect more than just diseases like asthma, allergies, enuresis, or behavioral disturbances. Children who are homeopathically treated since their birth have another dimension in their development. The homeopathic casetaking differs from the conventional one, and when possible I like to interview the patient by herself. Only in cases of the very young is the interview made with the parents. Those who maintain that homeopathy is merely based on suggestion or placebo need only observe the character changes in children to be convinced that this opinion is untrue.

Homeopathy does not only achieve character changes, but also the disappearance of simple and complex diseases. I remember a baby girl diagnosed with malabsorption and having a poor prognosis, which was brought to me in September of last year. Analyzing the case and the disease, I hierarchized the symptoms like irritability, capriciousness, and rebelliousness and prescribed a single dose of Chamomilla. After three months the patient was definitely cured. The objective of homeopathy is to prescribe an already proven homeopathic remedy which is similar to the physical, mental and emotional symtoms of the patient. We then see that the law of cure is followed, which involves a change in the vital economy and the disappearance of the disease. If the totality of symptoms is not considered, the disease might be suppressed at the most, as done with antibiotics or analgetics, which is not viewed as a cure in homeopathy.

Homeopathy is a good choice for parents, because it allows them to treat their children without the negative side effects of traditional medicine. Homeopathy is very effective in children because their immune system is very sensitive, and usually not exhausted by stress, chronically poor diet, nor by the application of too many antibiotics or other drugs. Childhood diseases test the vital force and prepare the immune system to cope with more severe diseases, which may appear later.

Some clinical cases are presented here to help in understanding the homeopathic concepts.

Case 1, 11 year old child, without allopathic diagnosis

In march 2003 an 11 year old child came to me with the following symptoms:

Irritability, insomnia, frequent episodes of diarrhea, vomiting and severe headache. Clinical anamnesis did not reveal any organic disease, therefore he was treated psychologically, which was supervised by his family pediatrician. They decided to consult me upon the recommendation of someone else. In the following a summary is given from the interview:

I’m a very nervous child, I fear unknown situations, especially if I‘m challenged at school. I did not sleep last night and suffered from vomiting and diarrhea in the morning. I fear failure, I’m very impressionable, and fear closed places. His father told me that he suffered from recurrent conjunctivitis in early childhood which was medicated with antibiotics. Considering the physical and mental symptoms I prescribed (silver nitrate), and after four months his physical and mental symptoms disappeared. The child who corresponds to this remedy is nervous, excitable, and fearful. He may suffer from nausea or vomiting when thinking of school, usually suffers from insomnia due to anticipatory anxiety – which my patient had reported about himself. The Argentum nitricum patient’s strongest fears are those of high places, of failure to succeed with some undertaking, of being late, of being alone, and of robbers. They also fear becoming ill. Their symptoms ameliorate in a cold environment, and they have a strong desire for salty food and sweets, which might cause diarrhea. These additional symptoms were not reported by my patient.

Case 2, 7 year old child, recurrent laryngitis and bronchitis

A 7 year old male child was brought to me for consultation in April 2001, due to the following symptoms: recurrent laryngitis and bronchitis, the episodes appearing four to five times a year.

Of course he appeared with his parents and the first thing I noticed was his affection, considering that it was the first time I saw him. The physical examination did not reveal anything, as he was treated with antibiotics. The chest X-ray showed a mild bronchial congestion. When asked about his state of being, his parents told me that he is a very affective and supportive child who is always ready to help, whoever it may be. He feels sorry for others and even cries when seeing others suffer. He is a very imaginative child. The father believes the boy will become an artist, although his enthusiasm does not hold out sometimes. He is a good pupil at school who completes his tasks with discernment and has a good relationship with his comrades. He is restless, nervous, excitable and self-confident. He likes company and being popular. He is a leader type.

While listening to the parent’s report I observe how easily he solves a difficult puzzle which I have in my consultation room. Observation is a very important part of the homeopathic anamnesis and always reveals useful details. Continuing the interview the parents told me that he sometimes fears darkness, desires company and is frightened and wants to be in the house during a thunderstorm. The boy also worries about the family’s health. He desires company when ill, and especially his mother’s consolation. He is very warm physically and thirsty, desires frozen drinks and craves ice so strongly that he could eat a kilo.

Due to his physical symptoms and emotional characteristics I prescribed Phosphorus. Ten days later the mother called to tell me that he had a cold with cough, which was an old symptom – whose reappearance is a very good prognostic sign. I recommended nebulization with physiological solution and to increase the intake of the remedy. I told the mother that antibiotic treatment would suppress the disease and aggravate the disease pattern. Having read my book the mother understood that suppressing symptoms would not be best for her child. Moreover, she had noticed that the child was in a better mood despite of his symptoms, and that he was more content. The symptoms disappeared after two days which gave the parents more confidence to continue the treatment. Those who notice the benefits of homeopathy will hardly ever choose another curative method. A month later a significant amelioration was apparent. Physically, he has not suffered from further episodes and feels emotionally better. He’s been happier, more persistent at doing things, and not so fearful anymore, and less concerned with his environment. He told me with enthusiasm “Doctor, I don’t fear thunderstorms anymore“. Currently, he comes to consult me every six months. His amelioration is profound and permanent, thanks to homeopathy. You can imagine the joy of his parents, who are currently also under homeopathic treatment.

Phosphorus is one of the most important minerals in life and found in bones, teeth, the brain and bodily fluids. Historically it was used in orthodox medicine to treat malaria, measles, pneumonia, rheumatism, headache and epilepsy. The Phosphorus patient is anxious and fearful, likes company and feeling important – similar to my patient. He is usually tall and thin, has fine features and a tendency to blush easily. He is sensitive, sympathetic, very understanding towards others, likes consolation and being embraced. He is also imaginative and artistic. His profound anxieties refer to being alone, darkness, thunderstorms and his family’s health. The most important characteristic of these patients is their desire to be with others, which makes them extremely supportive and protective. Due to his feeling unprotected and his feelings of vulnerability and helplessness, the Phosphorus patient protects those who feel similarly. This type of patients feels freed from these feelings if cured and lives a more balanced life.

Case 3, 5 years old child, recurrent angina

A 5 year old boy was brought see me in August 2002 due to the following problems: Recurrent anginas and episodes of bronchial asthma. The parents decided to consult me as they did not want to give the medicine prescribed by the pediatrician. The first thing I noticed was his being overweight for his age. Later I noticed his timidity and that he did not separate from his mother’s hand for a moment, even though I have many toys in my office. The parents told me the following during the interview:

He is an extremely timid child who needs to be with someone else. He cannot be alone and has never slept well. His development is slow with regard to walking and talking. He fears darkness and does not enter his room without the light turned on. He is also fearful when watching television, and suffers from nightmares, waking up crying at night. It is very difficult for him to sleep in his grandparents‘ house, although they have a good relationship. It is difficult for him be in the garden alone and he wants us to stay with him. He is capricious, does not want to share his toys, and is very sensitive to reprimands which leads him to cry. He feels very cold, and always has cold hands and feet. He likes sweets, although we have also seen him sucking salt several times (homeopathic symptom: desires sweets and salt). Moreover, he is very constipated. When he was 3 years old he had an allergy which was treated with cream. Some months later he started to have mucus and lack of air, and so he was treated with bronchodilators.

Comment: This allopathic relief of symptoms is called suppression in homeopathy. Blocking the skin symptoms causes the disease to go deeper, so that the disequilibrium now expresses as symptoms in the respiratory tract. Homeopathy cures from within out. Therefore the inverse mechanism is expected when applying the correct homeopathic remedy, that is, the balancing of the emotional aspect and the superficialization of physical symptoms. The last appearing symptom should be the first to disappear during cure. Therefore reappearance of skin symptoms in a short and temporary form is to be expected. This is called the law of cure and is part of homeopathic progress. It was quite difficult to examine him, but with the parent’s help I auscultated a mild bronchospasm and visualized the enlargement of the tonsils.

Due to his physical and emotional symptoms I prescribed Calcarea Carbonica, one dose. Fifteen days later his mother called to tell me that he had a severe cold and a temperature of 37.6°C, wherefore I advised her to give the remedy more frequently. The mother had noticed that he did not feel so fatigued. One month after the consultation an amelioration of physical and mental symptoms was observed. The father told me that he was less timid and not so attached to his parents. He felt better in the garden, was not so shy, and was better able to share his toys with his friends.

Two months later a more marked amelioration was noticed. The mother told me that he sleeps in his grandparents house now without problems and that his fears clearly ameliorated. He even now can play alone for some time. He sleeps better, does not have nightmares, wakes up having a better mood, is physically agile and without symptoms such that he was taken off the broncodilators. The father told me that “He has not had a bronchospasm since taking the remedy“, whereas he has had them every four months prior. During the last month the mother told me that the child had gotten a skin eruption similar to the eruption he once had, whereupon I told her that the law of cure was in effect.

Calcarea Carbonica is made of Calcium Carbonate obtained from oysters. It is applied in a variety of conditions, such as joint and bone pain, painful teething in children, fractures that heal slowly, intestinal disturbances, constipation, respiratory problems, nasal obstruction, bronchial asthma, recurrent otitis and numerous other conditions.

The patient to which this remedy corresponds is generally overweight and has a large abdomen and head, and moist, cold skin. He is slow in talking, in learning to walk, and in teething. Constipation is a usual symptom of this remedy and found in my patient. Emotionally, these are calm and sensitive patients but prone to inertness. They are very fearful and fear darkness, often waking up crying due to nightmares. They are timid and sensitive to what others say. They are sensitive to reprimands which may lead them to cry – similar to my patient. Moreover, they are anxious persons and sensitive to cold. They may perspire profusely – children usually on the head when sleeping. This is a short summary of the remedy which has more than 8000 symptoms.

Homeopathy allows a profound cure of the patient. The disequilibrium of the child will be the disquilibrium of the adult in future. Only by focusing on the emotional and organic aspects of the disease are we able to give our patients the opportunity of a better life.