Chapter 7:
A Different Answer for Difficult Kids

Challenges of Homeopathic Treatment
To be fair, homeopathy is not without its challenges. Anyone contemplating homeopathic treatment should be aware of what can happen during the course of treatment. Any competent homeopath, though, is well aware of these situations and trained to manage them. Here are some points to consider:

• Most successful cases are solved within six to twelve months, but even the best homeopath does not always find the correct medicine for a patient, even after months of treatment. Homeopaths vary in methods and experience level. It makes sense to give your practitioner a fair chance to find the medicine before switching to another. It will often be worth the wait. The better your homeopath knows your child and what medicines have already been tried, the more likely she is to find the best medicine. It is also possible, if your homeopath is not having success at finding the medicine to best help your child after nine to twelve months, to request that she consult with someone specializing in your child’s particular area of concern.

• Homeopathy is a process, not a one-time event. The homeopath must take an extensive case history and do careful follow-up to see the effects of the medicine in order to decide whether a change is to be made or another dose is required. There may be ups and downs in treatment, some of which may be avoided by consistent follow-through (see chapter 10). This takes commitment on the part of parents and patients alike to stay with the process until the desired results are obtained. Though improvement usually occurs soon after treatment begins, it may take a number of visits over at least one to two years to see all the changes you desire. The parents must be willing to observe their child and report any progress or relapse to the homeopath. The child must be willing to take the medicine and avoid substances that interfere with treatment.

• There may be a period of initial intensification of the child’s existing symptoms, which homeopaths call an aggravation. This reaction is usually brief but may last several days or even several weeks in some cases. This is not a side effect in the traditional sense but rather a “healing crisis,” a natural part of the homeopathic process. It may be unavoidable if healing is to occur. For violent or destructive children, precautions may have to be taken to provide for the safety of the child and others and to protect property from damage. • In rare cases, symptoms that are part of the symptom picture of the medicine itself, but that are new to the child, may appear. These symptoms are usually minor, short-lived, and disappear if the medication is discontinued.