Homeopathy for Children: What Parents Need to Know

1. Homeopathy for Children: What Parents Need to Know

2. Introduction With each passing day, more people are moving away from organic medications and seeking alternatives to treating diseases and ailments. Among the small number of organic medical solutions available in the world today is homeopathy. A 2012 survey conducted by the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), revealed that approximately 5 million adults and 1 million children in the United States used homeopathy in the previous year. You bet the number has gone up substantially by now. Here, we have outlined a parental guide that lets you in on the world of homeopathy and what you need to know before taking the plunge. First things first, what exactly is homeopathy?

3. Table of Contents • What is homeopathy? • How does it work? • Is homeopathy safe? • Is it safe for babies? • What you need to know? • Benefits of Homeopathy. • What does homeopathy treat? • How does a homeopath know the right remedy for your child? • How long does it take before homeopathic medicine starts working? • Can homeopathy be combined with conventional medicine? • Choosing homeopathic medications for children.

4. What is homeopathy? Homeopathy is an alternative medical practice based on taking small amounts of products to cure ailments. This strategy tries to get rid of the negative effects of large amounts of medicinal products as is the conventional method. Started back in the 18th century, the main principles of homeopathy include the following: • Law of infinitesimals: This law, commonly referred to as the Law of the minimum dose, proposes that medications are more effective when administered in small doses. This is the reason for enormous dilutions for homeopathic medicines. Some like the Hyland’s Teething Tablets has undergone dilutions of up to 1,000,000,000,000 times. After such large dilutions, the end result is often devoid of any trace of the original ingredient but homeopathic practitioners claim that they cure ailments because the “memory” of the original ingredients lives on in the diluted medicine. • Like cures like: This notion, also called the law of similar, proposes that healing occurs when one takes substances that cause similar symptoms. A good example is a homeopathic claim that the rattlesnake’s venom can cure Ebola on the basis that both involve bleeding or that the cure of insomnia is drinking coffee. Homeopathic medicines are extracted from plants (such as mountain herb, belladonna, poison ivy, red onion, and stinging nettle), animals (such as crushed bees), and minerals (such as arsenic). The most common homeopathic products are made as sugar pellets and are meant to be placed under the tongue. Other forms include gels, ointments, tablets, and creams.

5. How does it work? Essentially, homeopathy helps stimulate the body to get rid of disease on its own and subsequently promote wellness. It is a natural healing art based on some principles surrounding wellness, illness, cure, health, and pharmacology. With homeopathy, a highly diluted substance is carefully introduced into the body in a manner that matches the individual state of the individual and stimulates vitality—all without the use of inorganic drugs and a myriad of medicinal procedures.

6. Is homeopathy safe? Although the FDA regulates the homeopathic products for certain standards, it doesn’t necessarily evaluate their safety and effectiveness. What this means is that a product can have the “effective” label on it but fail to do what it claims. Some of the ingredients used to make homeopathic medicines can be toxic in their natural habitat. Examples are the poison ivy, belladonna, strychnine, and aconitum which can be deadly when ingested. Other harmful ingredients include crushed bees, poisonous plants, arsenic, and other heavy metals. Thankfully, the dilution factor of homeopathic medicines is so great that the original active ingredient doesn’t find it way to the final product. From a general standpoint, homeopathic brands are non-toxic. If you can get your hands on a truly safe and efficient product, you will avoid harm.

7. Is it safe for babies? As a parent, you want nothing than to keep your baby safe at all times. With all the craze surrounding homeopathy, you don’t mind taking this route but not for your little one. At least not until the safety concerns in your mind are well addressed. Well, homeopathic remedies are safe for babies. Studies into its safety have gone on since the 19th century and up to date, nothing concrete about it being harmful to babies has emerged. The only time homeopathy can have adverse effects is if your child consumes medications a little too much such as every 60 minutes for 10 hours straight. Otherwise, if you give your baby the drug 3 times a day, it won’t harm him at all.

8. What you need to know? Even if homeopathy is considered relatively safe for babies, you may want to have the baby checked by a pediatrician before administering a homeopathic remedy. Let them diagnose your baby and rule out any possibility of a disease. This is especially true for newborns and toddlers. If your baby has an underlying medical condition, you could harm him by administering a homeopathic drug than seeing the pediatric first. Likewise, you want to see an experienced homeopath before administering homeopathic medicine to your child. It can be tricky to know which over-the-counter homeopathic remedy will work just by looking at the symptoms of your little one. You might miss certain important considerations such as meat and stabilizer allergies. A homeopath will focus on individual symptoms and give you the right size of drugs appropriate for your child’s age. You also want to pay attention to the specific medication before giving it to your baby. Certain types use honey to help dilute the active ingredient. You probably know the danger of honey for babies under 12 months of age. In addition, some use heavy metals that shouldn’t only be given to kids but anyone for that matter. In a similar manner, alcohol is used to dilute homeopathic medicines and can, therefore, be unsuitable for kids. Overall, your education, sensitivity, and touch with the pediatrician are what will make you score high in homeopathy.

9. Benefits of Homeopathy People can shine negative light to homeopathy they want but this medical practice has been relied upon for centuries. Some of its benefits over conventional medicinal products include the following: • They are mild: Homeopathic medicines are made from plants, animals, and minerals which although toxic, cause no adverse effects to the human body, thanks to the large dilution in homeopathic products. They are quite easy on the liver and gastrointestinal system. • They boost immunity: Homeopaths often look at the symptoms of a patient before suggesting a remedy hence boosting their body’s immunity rather than destroying it as is the case with allopathic medications. • They are organic: Made from plants and animals, homeopathic medications are devoid of harmful artificial colors and chemicals that can harm the body. • They are non-addictive: Unlike allopathic medicines which contain drugs and chemicals that can be quite addictive, homeopathy is all about plants, animals, and minerals. You are less likely to get addicted to them. • They are baby-friendly: Homeopathic sweet pills taste good on the mouth which is why babies love them to the core.

10. What does homeopathy treat? Even before we give you a list of the common conditions treated by homeopathy, we should let you know that this medical alternative doesn’t necessarily treat ailments based on their name or medical condition. It relies on the symptoms of the patients so that even conditions which are yet to be given a name can still be treated. And now, here’s the list. 1. Chronic problems Homeopathic doctors often cater to patients with long-term complications which can no longer respond to conventional medications. These include the following: • Asthma • Arthritis • Chronic fatigue • Migraines • Depression • Irritable bowel syndrome • Eczema

11. 2. Minor ailments Although homeopathy concerns itself with long-term ailments, it essentially has the ability to treat the whole body. You can use it to cater to any situation where your health is compromised. Minor ailments that can be treated using homeopathy include the following: • Coughs and colds • Cuts and bruises • Ear infections • Mood swings • Insomnia • Menstrual problems • Skin diseases

12. 3. Childhood diseases If you are wondering how exactly you can leverage the magic of homeopathy to treat your child’s diseased and issues, the following list would be a good place to start: • Teething problems • Phlegmy coughs • Respiratory conditions • Hives • Shingles • Fever blisters • A cough, runny nose, and sneezing

13. 4. Dental conditions Yes, homeopathy treats diverse dental conditions as well. Some of the common dental conditions ones include the following: • Apical abscess • Anxiety • Pericoronitis • Post-surgery pain • Tooth extraction • Gum swelling • Reversible pulpitis • Toothache with decay • Sensitive cementum

14. How does a homeopath know the right remedy for your child? Homeopaths have specialized in the art of reading symbols. Obviously, they don’t use any equipment to diagnose diseases as this goes against their beliefs. They will ask questions to judge your baby’s symptoms, how they experience the illness and their general wellbeing. By doing this, they will judge the actual nature of your child’s vitals and just what makes him unique. Then they can choose the right remedy that will stimulate healing on his body.

15. How long does it take before homeopathic medicine starts working? Unfortunately, this question doesn’t have a straight answer. It could take a minute or several years depending on the specific circumstance in question. Broadly speaking, an excellent remedy should give results in record time. You should be able to see a change in your baby’s condition within a day or two with a continuous positive effect over time. Of course, if the ailment is severe and has quite the history, it will be a while before the medication alleviates all symptoms completely.

16. Can homeopathy be combined with conventional medicine? Many people wonder if they should give their kids homeopathic remedies along with allopathic medications. The answer is yes, you can. In fact, in most cases, homeopaths come in contact with patients with medicinal prescriptions and who are looking to reduce the frequency of these drugs. With the right treatment plan, there’s no harm in using both strategies to alleviate symptoms of the disease.

17. Choosing homeopathic medications for children The choice to embrace homeopathy never comes easy for most parents. Many often toy with the idea for ages until they just have to make the decision. If you fit the description, there are a few things you have to keep in mind while choosing homeopathy for your baby. Here are some of the important ones. • For first-aid and acute diseases such as bee stings, teething, diarrhea, and sore throats utilize homeopathic remedies such as Belladonna, Aconite, Chamomilla, Arnica, Pulsatilla, Mercurius, Arsenicum album, and Arnica. • If your baby has a chronic illness, you might want to consider constitutional homeopathy aimed at addressing underlying causes of the illness and looks for the best course of homeopathic treatment. With this strategy, you will give your child a wholesome solution for their mental, physical and emotional state. • Remember the ABC rule: when the symptoms are sudden (think of a symptom that comes shortly after exposure to wind or cold), take aconite; if they are violent and speedy (think of a hot and feverish child), take Belladonna; else, give your baby Chamomilla if they are irritable, cross and can’t be soothed. Along with the ABCs, have Pulsatilla nearby for when your child appears sensitive, weepy and desires extra attention and sympathy.

18. So there you have it: all you need to know before having your child take a piece of the homeopathy pie. Remember to consult your pediatrician before trying out anything new with your child. Also, when the remedies take too long to alleviate symptoms, be sure to visit the doctor and ease your child’s discomfort and pain. Holistic Healthcare Center’s goal is to provide better physical and mental care to every patient. Unlike traditional doctors who only diagnose you when something is wrong, HHC Center often encourage their patients to contact them anytime - whether they are healthy or sick. So, for all your homeopathy needs, don’t hesitate to reach them. They also offer a wide range of counseling and psychotherapy services as well as life couching and relaxation therapy services. Most importantly, their experts work as team to help you achieve optimal health.

19. The End See more at - http://www.hhccentre.com/homeopathy/