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The Homeopathy Handbook for Children by Didier Grandgeorge, Review

The Homeopathy Handbook for Children / Didier Grandgeorge

Didier Grandgeorge

The Homeopathy Handbook for Children   

Acutes and their Homeopathic Treatment

   

by Ian Hamilton

published in The Homeopath / AUTUMN 2012

The Homeopathy Handbook for Children

Dr. Grandgeorge has handed us another possible bible for practice with this book. Successful acute prescribing for infants and children is what wins us many converts, so any tool to help is welcomed. It does not cover all problems in depth, but it touches deeply on many.

The book claims to be aimed at providing keynotes whilst not going into constitutional prescribing. The author suggests that it is "at the second level of homeopathic treatment, with a study of each area of pathology along with possible remedies, based on many years of clinical experience."

Eczema for example, covers two pages. Not much you may think, but within a chapter on acute dermatology, it ranges through most problems we are likely to encounter. The sections on verrucas and eczema both have good charts on parts of the body linked to possible remedies.

Grandgeorge also introduces the spiritual and Freudian ideas he is known for. He gives, for many conditions, the symbolic meaning. Now this is different for a self help book and I think puts it on a different level. It would make the parents think about conditions more deeply. An example is where he discusses constipation, giving the symbolic meaning as the anal stage of development. In laryngitis, he discusses the symbolic meaning as being on a spiritual level of development. The voice is about the word and the right to say no.

I also found the chapter from conception to newborn very useful, which covers also the needs of the mother, with suggestions for things like stretch marks and varicose veins, major worries for many first time mothers. (Stretch marks - massage with 1 % Lillium tigrinum based cream twice daily.)

The chapter on childhood diseases is also good, as it gives a balanced view of what they are, how they can be treated homeopathically and the place of vaccination. The symbolic meaning of whooping cough is very enlightening.

I liked very much the section on asthma, in my experience a difficult thing for a homeopath to treat in children, as often at least one parent wants to just go down the allopathic road. This section would be very informative and reassuring for parents in this position and it links with hay fever.

The author sometimes slips into addressing professionals rather than lay people. This is a slight confusion in the book. An example is the section on otitis. The technical detail and suggestions of clinical examination fall outside the scope of most. I put this down to the author being a paediactric doctor, whose concern is for correct diagnosis, after which he can use the correct remedy. It's not a big problem, but shows how sometimes books like this can slip between two audiences.

There is a chapter on neurological and behavioural disorders, which has sections on slow walking, talking and writing and on jealous, dictatorial and precocious children. It also covers epilepsy and enuresis. These topics are rarely considered in this sort of book and are valuable.

I would say the book is aimed at enlightened parents, homeopaths who want to do a bit of fast, effective prescribing and doctors who are willing to embrace homeopathy. Good value for money.
 
The Homeopathy Handbook for Children / Didier Grandgeorge

Didier Grandgeorge

The Homeopathy Handbook for Children   

Acutes and their Homeopathic Treatment

42.90 US$
The Homeopathy Handbook for Children: Add to Basket

 

Reviews about this book
Didier Grandgeorge
The Homeopathy Handbook for Children
by Ian Hamilton , published in The Homeopath / AUTUMN 2012
Didier Grandgeorge
The Homeopathy Handbook for Children
by Elizabeth Adalian , published in Homeopathy in practice Winter/Spring 2013