Chapter 4: Homeopathy for ASD: Exceptional Medicine for Exceptional Kids

Homeopathy may be unique and unconventional medicine, but it can produce exceptional changes in children with ASD. Not only can homeopathy address the social, learning and behavioral problems typical of ASD, but it also can help many acute and chronic health problems.

Since homeopathy treats the whole person, it takes into account all of the factors that make up your child’s unique blend of symptoms and behaviors, likes and dislikes. Because homeopaths individualize treatment, there is not one homeopathic medicine used for all cases of ASD. Instead, a homeopath’s job is to match the child to one of over two thousand medicines. In this chapter we will cover how homeopathy is a good match for your ASD child, how the correct medicine is found, and what to expect from a course of homeopathic treatment.

Why ASD Children Are Excellent Candidates for Homeopathic Care
The More Unusual the Child, the Easier to Help Him with Homeopathy
The more features that differentiate one child from all others, the easier it is to identify the one “matching” medicine. It is far more difficult to find the correct medicine for a NT child with run-of-the-mill allergies than it is for a child with ASD, most of whom are quite unusual. Whenever we hear a feature or symptom that we have never before heard, it intrigues us. Unusual symptoms or behaviors narrow down the possibilities in choosing the correct medicine from over two thousand medicines.

Gentle Medicine for Super-Sensitive Kids

Many ASD children may be highly sensitive to prescription drugs, foods, and other substances. Since the ingredients in homeopathic medicines are so highly diluted, allergic reactions, sensitivities, or even side effects are rare. Homeopathy is one of the gentlest forms of medicine known. For the few children who do react adversely in some way to homeopathic medicines, virtually all such reactions can be minimized or eliminated by an alternative form of dosing.

Homeopathic Medicines Pass the Taste Test
ASD kids are often extraordinarily picky about what they will eat. The smallest amount of nutritional supplements, given in capsules, liquids or hidden in foods, is often easily detected and adamantly refused. In contrast, many children enjoy taking their homeopathic medicine and ask for more!

A Homeopath Does Not Need to Physically Examine a Child to Prescribe a Homeopathic Medicine Hypersensitive kids often find being touched, especially by strangers, extremely uncomfortable. We rely on the child’s pediatrician to perform physical examinations, draw blood, and give shots as needed. This allows us to maintain a therapeutic relationship as the child’s ally and confidante rather than someone who inflicts pain or causes discomfort.

A Perfect Opportunity to Talk About Their Grand Passions
Homeopaths love to engage kids in a lively discussion of their favorite subjects or activities. Even more than the background information parents may give, hearing the child talk about what fascinates him, observing his gestures and body language, and listening for impassioned tones of voice can lead a homeopath directly to the right medicine. Every word the child utters is of significance to us, particularly words or language that are unique. Whereas parents, teachers, and caregivers may roll their eyes if they hear even once more about the cube root of 4096, our eyes light up, and we record the words of the child feverishly, trying not to miss a single word.

Homeopathy Can Help Children Make Friends
Parents of ASD kids typically come to us looking for help with their child’s unmanageable outbursts or academic difficulties. Another concern might be the ASD child’s inability to make friends, or not being invited to birthday parties. Although some ASD children may seem oblivious to social ostracism, it often hurts them deeply, even though they may lack the skills to express those feelings. Others experience social rejection and derision with extreme sensitivity, frequently to the point of depression.

Homeopathic Interviews Can Be Fun
Our office is filled with toys, games, stuffed animals, and two sweet golden retrievers who win over many a wary child. When kids are able to relax and play a little before and during the interview, it often puts them in a good mood, and soon they begin to look forward to seeing us. The child has an opportunity, if willing, to speak with us alone. We recognize and appreciate each child as a valuable, interesting individual. In person or by phone, we give youngsters a chance to say what they want, discuss their dreams and fears, share what interests them such as movies, books or video games, and to describe their most cherished ideas, thoughts or fantasies. We show a genuine interest in them, and they know it. Our main objective is not to try to find a diagnostic cubby hole in which to place them or perform psychological testing, but rather, simply try to get to know them for who they are. (Homeopaths do not do traditional psychological or IQ testing for diagnosing ASD, so if you want those tests done, please consult a pediatric or school psychologist or another appropriate professional.)

Parents of Children with ASD are Highly Motivated to Find Help For Their Kids
These parents are frequently a homeopath’s dream, as they are willing to go to any extent to help their children, including searching for any treatment that can turn around their youngsters’ symptoms and disabilities. They are willing to travel long distances to get the best possible treatment, sometimes even flying across country to see us. All told, parents of children on the autism spectrum tend to be committed to their child's treatment and well-being for the long haul.

Typically, one parent hears about homeopathy first and introduces it to the other. It is not uncommon for the mother, for example, to feel strongly, after reading one of our books, that homeopathy is the route for her child. The father may agree to the plan quite readily, or may be more reluctant. It is not necessary for both parents to have the same conviction that homeopathy will work for their child, but it is essential that everyone who is intimately involved with the child is willing to provide as much information as possible to the homeopath. When both parents are on board for the treatment journey, it certainly increases the odds of success.

Homeopathic Visits Are Infrequent
Compared to most of the other therapies you will engage in, homeopathic visits are infrequent (typically 6 to 8 weeks apart or more) and will not tax your already overfull schedule. We realize why parents of ASD kids are often stretched to the max. They are driving their children from a doctor’s appointment to a speech therapy session to a social skills group. Add to this their siblings’ activities, highly complicated meal preparation for picky eaters, or children on special diets, and you have a recipe for stress! Frankly, we don’t know how you parents do it!

Homeopathic Interviews Can Be Conducted by Phone
Conducting homeopathic interviews by phone can be a blessing for parents and children with ASD. We recognize that many parents have difficulty in traveling with their ASD children. Transitions are difficult for many of these children, making arriving on time for a scheduled appointment a real challenge. Additionally, some children prefer phone consultations because they fear face-to- face interactions with strangers.

The Homeopathic Interview

It’s helpful to know what to expect before taking your child to his initial homeopathic appointment. Be prepared to spend two hours with your homeopathic practitioner. Exact times may vary, but this is a typical average. Allow plenty of time to arrive a bit early to take care of paperwork with the office staff.

We urge you to bring another family member or caregiver so you can devote your full, undivided attention to the appointment. This is true for phone consultations as well as in-person appointments. The first visit is a unique and vital opportunity for your homeopath to get to know you and your child. You are investing precious time, money, and trust in your child’s treatment. Make the most of it.

Usually, we spend the first hour with the parent(s) alone. The child is either in the waiting room or, in the case of phone consultations, in a separate area of the house, preferably with another adult looking after him. It is essential that you, as parents, have the ability to speak freely about your child without being overheard. Before the visit, you will be asked to fill out a medical history form, which will help your practitioner gain an overview of your child’s issues that may not come up spontaneously during the interview.

During the actual interview, the homeopath will be most interested in the following points:
· physical, mental, and emotional symptoms
· behavior
· how your child gets along in the family, at school, and in other settings
· communication and speech
· words, phrases, expressions, or images that your child uses often
· special interests and favorite activities
· any particular sensitivities
· strong food and drink preferences or aversions
· relevant family history
· significant information regarding pregnancy and birth
· precipitating events or suspected causative factors related to your child’s condition
· reports from teachers or school personnel, such as speech and language pathologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, paraprofessionals, and other caregivers
· fears
· dreams
· anything that you can think of that is unique or unusual about your child.

During the interview, your homeopath will mainly be listening and gathering information. Practitioners use a variety of styles when conducting the initial interview. Some homeopaths primarily listen, while others more actively question you and your child. Still others engage in a process of free association based on the precise words of the patient. All of these approaches help the homeopath assemble the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that make up your child.

After gathering initial information from the parent(s), your homeopath will attempt to interview your child, depending on the child’s ability to communicate. A great deal of useful information may be gleaned from talking with and observing more verbal children, but observation of nonverbal gestures and behavior it are equally important in finding the correct medicine for your child. Even though observation is important, we have found equal success, in most cases, in interviews based upon telephone consultation with the help of an observant parent. Whenever possible, though, we encourage parents to bring their child for the initial appointment and follow up visits. If that’s not possible, we ask them to provide photographs or even video clips of characteristic behaviors, to help us get a better view of the “whole picture.”

Once both the parents and the child have been interviewed, it is time for the homeopath to analyze the case and prescribe. If the pattern of symptoms in the case obviously indicates a particular homeopathic medicine, your homeopath will administer it right there in the office (or send it by mail if the child isn’t present). If more study is needed to determine the correct medicine, your homeopath has homework to do. He may call you with additional questions, schedule additional time, or ask you to submit more information that would be helpful in choosing the right medicine.

The homeopathic medicine will be in a powdered, pellet, or liquid form, administered in either a single or sometimes in a daily dose. Read any instructions or recommendations carefully; they will be very different from those given with pharmaceutical drugs.

What Happens Next?

During the first week or so after your child takes the homeopathic medicine, you may notice some changes. You may simply find that his symptoms steadily improve. This immediate improvement may mean that the correct remedy was found, and the child is beginning to heal.

Sometimes within the first days or first week, existing symptoms may temporarily worsen. This is called “aggravation” and generally only occurs when the correct medicine has been given. Aggravation is a positive sign! This temporary worsening will promptly be followed by an improvement of symptoms, sometimes a dramatic change for the better.

If the medicine given is not the correct one for that patient, there is typically no response at all. If there is only a brief positive response, the medicine may either be on the mark but simply not strong enough, another dose may be needed, or a different medicine may be indicated.
Another possible response, which occurs only when the correct medicine has been given, is a fleeting return of symptoms from the past, usually lasting three to four days. This is also a very good sign. By the five- to six-week point, it should be clear to both you and your homeopath whether the medicine has acted and your child is improving.

Follow-up Visits

You will be instructed to make a follow-up appointment for about six weeks after your child begins treatment. In the weeks leading up to that visit, observe and record any changes that you or others notice. A small notebook to jot down comments each day can be helpful. Over time, it’s easy to forget changes in sleep disturbances, good (or bad) days at school, sensitivity to textures and smells etc. You are your homeopath’s eyes and ears, and your notes will help him help your child. In a recent article, Temple Grandin recommended that when parents introduce a new intervention to keep a diary of its effects. Avoid vague terms such as ‘my child has really improved.’ Be specific about the observed changes, either positive or negative, and make entries at least once a day. An example of a well-worded, useful evaluation would be ‘my child learned ten new words in one week’ or ‘his tantrums went from five a day to one within four days’.”

At the first follow-up visit, all of the concerns raised in the first interview will be assessed to determine what has changed, and how significantly.
If no changes are evident, and the action of the medicine was not interrupted prematurely, then the homeopath will gather more information, ask more questions, and probably prescribe a different medicine. Do not be concerned if the correct medicine is not found during the first visit. Homeopaths choose from over two thousand medicines, some of them quite similar but subtly different. Understanding a child in depth can take time, so finding the perfect match sometimes takes more than one try. Some parents become impatient when there is no change after two to three weeks, wanting to try a different medicine right away, but your homeopath must wait long enough to make sure the medicine has been given sufficient time to act. If your child responded very well initially, then the medicine seemed to stop acting, a repetition of the original dose or a stronger dose may be required.

Sometimes additional interview time may be needed to help your homeopath understand your child more completely. In some cases, it may take several tries over three to six months to find the correct homeopathic medicine. The odds are that if you continue treatment for a year, your homeopath will very likely find a medicine that gives you results, even if some trial and error is needed.
The more your homeopath knows about your child, the better the chances are of finding the correct medicine. Some of the medicines for children with ASD are relatively rare and may not be obvious to your homeopath in the beginning of treatment. If you can keep observing your child at every opportunity, and report those observations accurately, you may say something that provides your homeopath with just the clue that is needed to find the right prescription.
Once the correct medicine has been found, appointments will be scheduled every two to three months until progress is stable and predictable. Repetition of the medicine will depend on the type of dosing being used. Your homeopath will determine the frequency of dosing based on your child’s response to the medicine. Steady improvement should occur with proper repetition of the medicine in the correct strength or potency. Very positive changes take place rapidly in some cases, but more slowly in others. The trend of improvement is more important than the pace. The most profound effects in homeopathy occur over months and years, as the state of body and mind that created the imbalance is reduced or eliminated. With regular treatment, improvements will likely continue and stabilize. This stabilization process occurs over one to two years. Patients who leave treatment before they are stable may lose some, or all, of the benefits they have gained. Gradually, the frequency of visits will be reduced until the desired treatment goals are met.

What to Expect from Homeopathic Treatment of ASD

In our experience, the following list contains reasonable expectations for a child with ASD. If your child is more impaired, his progress may be slower or more limited. Having said that, we have worked with some children on the less-able end of the continuum who exhibit spectacular responses to homeopathic treatment!
Some ASD symptoms respond more readily to homeopathy than others. The list below details our own experience in treating ASD kids. Each child is different, but the changes shown here have been our general overall experience:

Highly Likely to Improve with Homeopathic Treatment

· restlessness
· mood changes
· impulsivity
· concentration difficulties
· school performance
· angry outbursts
· oppositional behavior
· socially inappropriate behavior
· most physical complaints
· hypersensitivity
· confidence and self-esteem issues
· awkwardness in interpersonal relationships
· social isolation
· ability to make friends
· obsessive behavior
· inability to participate in team sports

Will Probably Get Better with Homeopathic Treatment

· perseveration
· eye contact
· learning disabilities
· pickiness
· self-stimulatory behavior
· tics
· hyperfocus on special interests
· encopresis (bowel impaction)
· bedwetting
· echolalia

You May Possibly See Changes with Homeopathic Treatment

· developmental delays
· “pedantic” speech
· lack of empathy
· inability to speak

Using Homeopathy and Conventional Medicine Together

Some parents choose to use both homeopathic and conventional medication concurrently. The two forms of treatment may be complementary and work together well. It is unlikely that the homeopathic medicine will interfere with the conventional treatment, but sometimes the drug does impact the homeopathy. If this occurs, we simply repeat the homeopathic medicine or adjust the dosage until the problem is resolved. If we are unable to find a resolution, we may recommend using one treatment or the other in the best interests of your child.

Many children with ASD are already being treated conventionally with pharmaceutical medications when they begin homeopathic treatment. As naturopathic physicians, it is not within our scope of practice to discontinue a medication prescribed by another physician. If parents want to stop or decrease the dosage of their child’s psychiatric or another prescription medication, they should consult with the prescribing physician. Abruptly discontinuing some medications is inadvisable and can be dangerous.

At the beginning of treatment, we recommend against changing the currently prescribed conventional medicine. We also recommend against beginning any new interventions at the same time, conventional or alternative. It is best to keep the process as clear and simple as possible to avoid confusion for both the conventional and the homeopathic practitioners.

The main difficulty with using both kinds of medication together is determining which medicine is producing what results or side effects. This can be complex, especially if the patient is receiving a number of conventional medications at the same time, each with their own side effects and possible drug interactions. To achieve the best possible results with homeopathy, we have to be able to see the actual symptoms of the person, as well as any changes as they occur. If these symptoms or changes are masked by a psychiatric medicine, it may be difficult to know what is happening with homeopathic treatment, and similarly, the conventional doctor may attribute the success of the homeopathy to the pharmaceutical drugs.

Often, since homeopathy treats the whole child, the homeopathic medicine will produce positive changes that the conventional medications do not address, confirming that it is indeed working along with the other treatment. If your goal is to replace the conventional medications your child is now taking, or to decrease the dosage or number of different medications, you may want to ask your physician about doing so before beginning homeopathic treatment.

What to Avoid While Being Treated Homeopathically

When certain substances and influences interfere with the action of a homeopathic medicine, it is called antidoting. When this happens, it is usually necessary to repeat the homeopathic medicine in whatever dose is being currently prescribed. Once repeated, progress is usually reestablished and symptoms once again diminish or disappear. Occasionally, the potency of the medicine will need to be changed to obtain optimal results.

Antidoting is a controversial subject. Many homeopaths, ourselves included, observe that some substances, particularly those containing eucalyptus, camphor, menthol, tea tree oil, or coffee, as well as the use of recreational drugs or electric blankets, can interrupt the action of homeopathic medicines. Whether these factors will disrupt the effect of a homeopathic medicine appears to be dependent upon the sensitivity of the individual child. Since different homeopaths have varying attitudes towards antidoting, rely on your own practitioner’s recommendations. In any case, if the medicine that was working well for your child seems to stop working, regardless if there was any identifiable reason, let your homeopath know right away.

Conventional and other natural therapies, allergens, and foods to which a child is sensitive are not usually problematic, but sometimes create intense reactions that can cause a relapse of symptoms. Therapeutic ultrasound, ultrasonic dental cleaning, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) may interfere with homeopathic treatment in some cases. If these are likely to be ongoing issues, or of you notice a change in the action of your child’s homeopathic medicine after receiving such a treatment, consult with your homeopath. Acute childhood illnesses have also been known to interrupt the action of previously well-acting homeopathic medicines and may require a repetition of the previous medicine or the prescription of a different one that specifically addresses the acute symptom picture. Again, this response will vary with the individual.

How You Can Assist the Homeopathic Process
· Provide your homeopath with thorough and honest information
Withholding information for whatever reason may interfere with successful homeopathic treatment. Rest assured that your child’s homeopathic medical records are confidential unless you sign a release to allow access by a third party.
· Follow up with appointments at intervals recommended by your homeopath.
In large part, the ultimate success of your child’s treatment depends on its continuity and consistency.

Inform you homeopath of significant changes in your child’s life. Important events in the family, academic progress, parental divorce or remarriage, moving, changing schools, making friends, the death of a beloved pet are all worth sharing with your homeopath.

Avoid the Temptation to Homeopathically Treat Your ASD Child Yourself
As you read the case studies in this book, you may find one or two cases that closely resemble your child. You may be tempted to find the medicine that we gave and treat your child yourself. Don’t even think about it!
While it is possible to treat yourself and your family for many first-aid conditions and acute minor illnesses yourself (see our book, Homeopathic Self-Care), ASD is not an acute condition, but rather a complex, chronic imbalance. It takes a competent, well-trained homeopath to prescribe for these cases, and years of homeopathic study and practice to understand symptoms, behavior, and homeopathic medicines well enough to match the correct homeopathic medicine to the child.

Even if you were to find the correct medicine, it takes experience to bring each case to a successful conclusion. Let your homeopath do his work. If you needed surgery, you wouldn’t just get a book and a scalpel and start cutting! Your homeopath has the same level of experience in his field as a surgeon. Don’t shortchange yourself or your child. Find a well-trained, experienced homeopath, and commit yourself to the full treatment process.

How Do I Find a Competent Homeopath?
Investigate the training and experience of the prospective homeopath. Inquire about her level of experience in treating chronic, pediatric and psychiatric conditions, and specifically ASD. Some practitioners have met certain standards, such as naturopathic doctors who are board certified by the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians (HANP), medical doctors who hold the certification of D.Ht., or those who have passed the examinations of the Council on Homeopathic Certification (CHC) or the North American Society of Homeopaths (NASH). These organizations and others such as the National Center for Homeopathy maintain referral lists, which may be helpful in finding a homeopath in your area. (See the Appendix for referral sources.)

Does homeopathic treatment for your ASD Child make sense and feel right?
Parents frequently know that homeopathy is right for their children the moment they read the case histories. (See Part Three) The children in this book may bear an uncanny resemblance to your own youngster. That feeling of “I am not alone” can be very comforting to parents who have been struggling for years with the isolation ASD so frequently creates for families. Reading about how homeopathy has helped similar children provides hope that your child, too, may be helped. However, just because your child resembles one of the case histories in this book, it does not mean he will need the same homeopathic medicine.

For many parents, this information is startlingly new. You may have had no idea homeopathy even existed, much less that it held the possibility of promise for your family. After years of being told that your child will grow out of his difficulties, or that he has an incurable condition, homeopathy may sound like a viable and wonderful alternative for your child. Now that you know about homeopathy, another option is clearly available to you and your child. A combination of information and intuition can often lead a parent in the right direction. If the information in this book makes sense to you, and you have a strong feeling that this is the path for your child’s healing, we encourage you to pursue it. We have found, personally, that some of the most wonderful gifts in life some in the most surprising or unexpected packages.