Many families bring their child to see a homeopath for the symptoms of ADHD because they are philosophically uncomfortable with using medication to treat their child. However, I have treated many children who have come to me already on conventional stimulant medication. Initially, I was concerned that children on such medications would not respond to the more gentle effect of homeopathic remedies, but I have been surprised to see that this is not necessarily the case.
Parents who have started their children on conventional medication seek out homeopathic treatment for various reasons. The first reason is the sense that conventional medication has taken an edge off the most severe symptoms, but a large part of their child’s behavioral pathology is not being addressed adequately. Often, the medication has had an impact on the child’s degree of attentiveness, or ability to sit still in school, but there is invariably a wide range of behavioral and physical symptoms that are not touched by the medication. In such instances, parents may feel that the symptoms of ADHD are so severe and problematic that they are reluctant to stop the medication, but look to homeopathy to address the symptoms that are not impacted by conventional medication.
Another reason is that conventional treatment appears largely ineffective for some children. In other cases, the side effects of the medication (which can range from appetite loss, sleeplessness, tics and twitches, sadness and lethargy, growth problems, to more serious physiological symptoms) are so severe as to render any observed improvements insignificant, and the parents are eagerly seeking alternatives to conventional medicine.
In most cases, homeopathy can work alongside medication quite effectively. However, it has been my experience that many parents want to reduce or eliminate their child’s medication after homeopathic treatment. Sometimes they want to try this on an experimental basis – taking weekends off medication, or longer “medication vacations”. There are many times I have seen parents conclude that the medication is not effecting much change for their child after they see the positive improvements possible on the homeopathic medication.
In any case, I believe that the most beneficial approach to treating ADHD is an integrated approach that includes homeopathic treatment; optimal nutrition; select supplementation with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and herbs; beneficial behavioral and educational interventions; sufficient exercise and sleep; and in some instances, conventional medication.
Beth Landau-Halpern is a homeopath with a special interest in treating children with ADHD and Autism. She has recently been certified as a CEASE therapist – an affective homeopathic approach to treating autism.
