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by Parth Mandak |
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| Homeopathy is a science that possesses tremendous healing power and can also help in cases that have caused problems for both the patients and their allopathic doctors for a long time. Behavioural disorders in young children especially fall into this category. Here is such a case from my practice. |
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The six-year-old boy had been diagnosed with ADHD and lived his life so "HAPPY" that no one around him was happy. His parents consulted me because the school authorities had recommended that the child be sent to a special school.
Problems reported by the parents:
- Excessive restlessness and impaired attention during all activities.
- Frequently inclined to play foolish pranks, which has resulted in many complaints from the school.
- Reading and spelling difficulties, despite repeated remedial teaching by the teachers.
- Constant running, climbing and jumping, making him difficult to supervise.
- He hits his friends hard when playing.
- He eats too much and sleeps very little.
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In the consulting room the child would not sit down and did not want to stay in the room at all. He tried several times to run out of the room. When the father tried to hold him by force, he hit his father's hand and ran to the door. Finally his father locked the door so he could not get out alone; but he climbed onto a chair, opened the latch and ran out.
While I observed what the child was doing, I continued the conversation with the parents. As the child had not returned after five minutes, his father went out and saw him sitting on the terrace—he was sitting on top of the terrace wall. His father reported that the child always likes to climb everywhere, and that no one ever has control over him. Since a conversation with the child was not possible, I continued to observe him and to speak with the parents. |
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Additional information from the parents:
"He only wants to play outdoors. He annoys everyone when he has to stay inside. He breaks things, shouts and makes a racket. He sings along to songs and imitates the actors he sees on television. Today he may imitate you when we are at home. He annoys everyone by inventing different names for them. He also annoys his teachers... no one can control him, although he is very intelligent. He is interested in modern technologies, such as using iPods, mobile phones, computers etc., which he is good at. He is not good at school because he cannot concentrate on one thing for long, and he cannot sit still, not even for a short time. If an argument arises during play with friends, he runs after the friend until he manages to hit him. If he is hit, he hits back; but if he cannot manage to hit back, he forgets it within a few minutes and wants to continue playing.
He always wants his mother with him. When he becomes completely uncontrollable, the parents blackmail him with the words: "If you don't listen, your mother will jump into a well and you'll never see her again!" Then he begins to cry and becomes quiet. He has a great fear of separation from his mother and is very attached to her. At bedtime he clings to his mother. It upsets him if anything is wrong with his grandmother or his mother.
He likes watching television, especially comedies – then he laughs happily. He also likes dance performances on TV, and he jumps and dances to the music.
He talks a lot about monkeys, and the whole family calls him monkey-child.
He is afraid of snakes; snakes are the only animals he does not want to see on television.
He likes to eat fruit, especially bananas.
He sleeps very little.
He is thirsty and loves cold water.
He sweats a lot, but without a specific odour. |
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Case analysis:
Apart from all the common symptoms of ADHD, the individual pattern of the case is recognised by the following symptoms:
- Urge to jump and climb – to the extent that he climbs up the outer wall of the terrace
- Imitating and teasing others
- Intelligent and curious
- Preference for dancing and jumping
- Attachment to the mother; clings to her
- Fear of separation from the mother
- Fear of snakes
- Craving for fruits, especially bananas
- Restlessness
- Worse indoors
All these symptoms and the child's overall personality lead me to the homeopathic remedy derived from monkey's milk: Lac rhesus. |
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Differential diagnosis with the spider remedies group:
Some of his characteristic symptoms such as restlessness, the urge to dance and jump and the craving for fruit often point to a spider remedy. However, the strong attachment to the mother leads us to the subkingdom of the mammals. The child also does not show the craftiness, cunning and tendency to deceive others that lie at the core of the spider themes. |
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Prescription: Lac rhesus 1M, one dose every morning for three days
Follow-ups:
After two months: The child came and sat on the chair in my consulting room. The father was happy that he remained seated without becoming restless. The child asked me about my laptop and how to use it. He conversed with me without feeling compelled to leave the room. His parents say he is well, only his concentration has not yet improved much.
Treatment plan: Repeat Lac rhesus 1M, one dose, and placebo for the next two months.
After four months: He begins to show more attention in class; he can now follow lessons and understands the material better than before. He still sleeps poorly, continues to be mischievous and teases people. He had a febrile illness which resolved without any medical intervention.
Treatment plan: No repeat dose.
After six months: The child continues to develop well; his restlessness has decreased. He has an interest in communicating with others. At school he has improved, but still occasionally makes errors in arithmetic. Overall he is doing well.
When compared with the DSM‑IV criteria for ADHD, one can see that he is moving in the right direction. Certainly he still has a long way to go, but the important thing is that it is the right way.
Such behavioural disorders can be excellently treated with the wonderful science of homeopathy with which we are blessed. Its daily application helps us to heal other people and ourselves at the same time. As Yoko Ono says: "By healing ourselves, we heal others too." |
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