Role of Homeopathy in Autism

                

 

Autism is considered a spectrum disorder because symptoms and severity vary from individual to individual. Autistic children express differently from each other.

Autism is characterized by failure of the child to develop communicative language or form proper social communication. But they show motor and other skills far beyond that of a mentally retarded child.

Some of them are obsessively pre occupied with inanimate objects such as lights, running water or spinning objects. Some of them gradually develop extreme talents such as in mathematics and these are retained mostly throughout the life.

Studies of people with autism have found abnormalities in several regions of the brain which suggest that autism results from a disruption of early fetal brain development

Now we come to the point of what homeopathy has to offer to the child so that we can help the child to lead a better life. One of the important facts is that in homeopathy we have these symptoms covered by different remedies and can use the symptoms expressed by the behavior of the child for the selection of the medicine.

It is very important to get a proper history of the patient and the importance of observation comes into play even the minutest detail can help in deciding the remedy. Peculiar symptoms are required so the parents should observe the Childs behavior in details and note them down in a book.

Here I would like to illustrate a case of autism which we treated

A young girl of seven years was brought to us, with the following complaints:

The child would sit in a corner, for hours and days together. She had no interest in food, play or studies. This attitude was there from childhood. When I first saw her in the clinic, I observed that her face was flat & showed no expressions. This child would not mix or play with anybody and always wanted to stay alone. She would sit alone, as if she was in her own world and had nothing to do with the worldly affairs.

She took no interest in her studies. [There was no problem of intelligence, because the IQ was 80 +] She would not emote to anything, there was no reaction from her even if she was scolded, explained or persuaded.

Physical complaints:
Constipation; could not pass stools for 6-8 days. Stools - hard with lot of pain and discomfort. Severe diarrhea when forced to eat. Perspiration offensive 3+, staining the clothes. Sleep disturbed, would get up a number of times, occasional weeping & talking during sleep.

On further detailed study, it was revealed that this child was adopted by the couple, as they did not have any children, after 10 yrs of marriage. The child was bought from an orphanage, and no details were available about her parents or about her background.

Diagnosis : Autism
Based on ?Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders? ?Fourth Edition by the American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC, we can classify each of the cases in the following way: A total Of 6 or more items of the following with at least 2 from [1], and one each from [2] and [3] are satisfied by the patient:
[1] Qualitative impairment in social interaction:
? Marked impairment in facial expression.
? Failure to develop peer relationships.
? A lack of spontaneity in sharing interests.
? Lack of social or emotional reciprocity.
[2] Qualitative impairment in communication:
? Marked inability to initiate or sustain conversation with others.
[3] Restricted, repetitive and stereotyped pattern of behavior.
? Encompassing preoccupation with one stereotyped and restricted pattern.

The remedy was selected on the basis of the history that the child was an orphan and this remedy is very useful in cases where there is a feeling of orphaned. Also the other important symptoms that are covered by this remedy were Perspiration staining the linen, Severe constipation and hard stools based on these symptoms the remedy was prescribed.

Prescription
Remedy Magnesium-C (Mag-c), 200 one dose

Follow up
1st week Sleep >> Stools twice during the week and not very hard.
4 weeks Mother reported that the child was more playful would come on the table and would have food with everybody.
10 weeks Child started playing with other children, started laughing, crying and expressing her emotions.
12 weeks The complaints of constipation & irritability relapsed back. Mag-c, 200 3 doses were repeated. Few doses of Mag carb cured the case. The child opened up like a bud opening into a flower.

We treat the cases on the individual basis, keeping in mind the various expressions that are manifested by the child.

Lets us understand how the Magnesium carb personality is:

Magnesium plays an important role in the development of an individual right from conception. Naturally, any disturbance during the developmental phase creates deep and long lasting constitutional effects. If the life is rejected during the development phase in the womb, the effects remain forever. These rejected and unwanted children or orphans may reject the world in the same way as they were rejected

Mag-c has a feeling that he is not appreciated. He might think that parents are quarreling because of him as he is aggressive and troublemaking. He might also feel that the parents think that he is not worth anything so they will leave him.

Mag-c personalities are very aggressive. They have a need to be recognized and accepted if this doesn?t happen in the natural way; they will make their presence felt by their aggressive behavior. They will force you to respect them.

There is also a strong forsaken feeling. The magnesium personalities are much closed and will not let their emotions to be known easily.

Some of the striking features are amelioration from motion desire for open air, yet sensitive to very cold air, He has a desire to be covered in all the stages of fever daily fever in the evening, symptoms return every 21 days. There is also marked constipation.

Magnesium as a group has these marked symptoms and expressions.

- Rejection right from conception
- Children whose mothers have gone through lots of stress or strain of life during pregnancy.
- Unwanted children
- Anxieties
- Rejects the world as a reaction to rejection that he was subjected to.
- Tremendous desire to prove himself
- Occupied with purpose
- Attracting attention of others by doing something unusual.
- Desire to achieve many things in life.

This is a brief explanation of a remedy.
Recently we had a case where the child was a Autistic kid and was very destructive used to get immense pleasure after breaking things. This was wonderfully covered by a remedy known as Tarentula.H which was given after careful analysis and evaluation. After this the child is showing marked improvement. A view of the remedy from the materia medica.

If we know the correct details about the child?s behavior the characteristic expressions the physical complaints we can select the right remedy from the Homeopathic materia medica. This similar remedy should be able to bring about the necessary change required.

We have been treating few cases of Autism spectrum disorder which have been steadily improving .Along with the medication the children also go to special school that helps them to be independent and teach then the things that will help them in the future.

Key measures to be followed
o A correct History of the Child including the Behavior
o Noting down the expressions of the patient
o Physical complaints conditions of aggravation & Amelioration
o Education in special school to make them self efficient
o Approach to the patient based on individuality
o Selection of the remedy after analysis and evaluation
o To consider the response and the likely line of treatment.
o Maintaining a Note book and noting the changes that occur to evaluate the case.

Conclusion
o We can definitely help the autistic children
o Clear detailed history is required
o Differentiate closely related medicines
o Give the medicines till the patient is better
o Get the patient evaluated by a Psychiatrist and Psychologists.

Dr.Santosh Joshi
Homeopathic consultant
Visit us at: www.hhomeopathy.com

The remedies prescribed in the cases should not be taken in any case without the advice of a registered Homeopathic doctor.

Dr Santosh Joshi graduated from the University of Pune India in the year 1999-2000. With a firm grounding in classical homeopathy and the experience achieved by working with senior Homeopaths today he is handling 3 clinics in Mumbai India at Kala ghoda, Mulund and Chembur. He was an active participant in the seminars organized in pune during his college years.He has also given case presentation on Homeopathy.

For more details visit us at: http://www.hhomeopathy.com

The Use of Secretin in Cases of Autism

                

 

Opinions about the effect of secretin when fighting autism are very mixed. While some say it has absolutely no effect on patients, other fervently sustain that the effects are dramatic if not curing the whole disease. Major studies have yet to be done and show any conclusive proof that this treatment either works or is a complete failure. Still, the general opinion is that the truth is somewhere in the middle.

We will follow up now on a doctor?s own little study on a number of patients with autism. Respecting protocols and rules he injected some 70 patients with secretin and observed the long term action and affects that this drug has both on the body and the disease. Families where also involved in observing the slightest of changes, being the fact that they were the people that stood near the patient most of the time.

Results didn?t take long to appear. Some 7 out of 10 parents said that improvements could be seen in their child?s behavior but not anything significant. Out of the whole study group only a near 1 out of 10 kids should dramatic signs the results being difficult to argue with. Another troubling fact in the research is the duration of effect that the secretin had in the children that had a good response to the drug. While for some the effect was short lived, for others this was a touch from God. A particular patient had such a remarkable response to the drug that in only one month was able to talk and act as normal as a child his age would do; improvements continued afterwards with the child being in normal regular education system. It seems that for other patients the secretin effect is only short lived, the administration of the drug being this way continuous if effects are to be the same as in other cases. Results in these patients were noticed even by other people that had no idea of the injection schedule the child patient had. Still minor rashes were present in the child?s behavior but only mild in action.

Seeing this results we must understand that further studies must be done if we are truly to understand the benefits of secretin on so many troubled autistic children. The actual way in witch the drug works on patients must be understood and tested against placebo effects. With the help of technology, modern medical science and good doctors results should be found.

Usage of the drug is still not recommended until the whole effects and side effects are fully known.

For greater resources on Autism or especially about signs of autism please click this link http://www.autism-info-center.com/signs-of-autism.htm

 

Does Your Child Have Autism?

                

 

To find out if your child is manifesting the symptoms of autism consider the following assessments:

1. Your child shies away from or repels human contact or affection:

An autistic child does not want to be hugged. They usually stiffen when held. They are not comforted by being held or cuddled.

When an autistic child is having temper tantrums or is anxious, it is better not to hug the child to provide reassurance and comfort, instead, give the child his favorite toy or transfer the child to a less stimulating environment.

2. Your child is usually stimulated from within and not by the outside world. He or she have difficulty in processing external stimuli:

The ability to receive stimuli from the environment is blocked so the child:

a. is unable to differentiate self from the environment thus the reversal of pronouns, the child talks about himself in third person.

b. has delayed development of self-help skills, such as feeding, dressing and toileting.

c. has difficulty or inability to learn expressive communication: echolalia, mutism.

d. is unable to enjoy meaningful relationship with the outside world: does not respond to people or other environmental stimuli, may be unable to make eye contact.

e. is aware only of himself and engages only in self-stimulated acts: plays alone for hours, withdraws from other children but may advance to parallel play.

f. turns to inanimate objects: attachment to a security blanket.

3. Your child develops stereotypic body movements:

These may consist of rocking, spinning, hand flapping, and other repetitive activities.

4. Your child shows obsessive desire for sameness:

An autistic child usually adheres to routines and rituals and has great aversion to changes.

5. Your child shows impulsiveness:

A child with autism may engage in temper tantrums when interrupted in his or her activity.

6. Your child shows inclination to self mutilation:

An autistic child can sometimes engage in head banging especially during tantrums.

7. Your child shows heightened withdrawal manifested by refusal to eat.

8. Your child exhibits More severe motor clumsiness associated with lower IQ.

9. Your child develops schizophrenia or seizures.

10. Autism is sometimes associated in some degree with mental retardation. Although accurate IQ measurement may be difficult to obtain due to the lack of language in these individuals, 60% of children have an IQ less than 50; 20% between 50 and 70; and 20% have an IQ greater than 70. Autism is more common in males than females by three to one.

The author, Jose Feliciano, is personally involved with autism having a family member with this disorder. To get more information about autism, visit his website at MyAutisticBoy.com.

Autism And Asperger Syndrome-Similarities And Differences

                

 

The Asperger syndrome affects children and adults patients by modifying their communication skills and making them unable to interact with the persons around them. The autistic disorder in most cases associates the lack of communication skills with learning disabilities.

The Asperger syndrome is an autistic disorder related to autism but with less symptoms or less serious modifications. The pure autism is rare, about one case in 5000 children and it occurs four times more often in male children than in girls. Autistic spectrum disorders are all conditions implying symptoms related to the manifestations of autism.

The exact cause of autism cases is still unknown to scientists but researchers have detected a possible link between the condition and a genetic factor without any actual pattern of inheritance. Autistic modifications are blamed on brain damages and abnormal development before birth, during childbirth or after birth.

The first signs of an autistic disorder appear soon after birth in severe cases but usually between the age of 3-4 when parents observe abnormal modifications in the child?s behavior. There are three main symptom groups involved in autism and patients with the Asperger syndrome have only some of these signs, unlike the children with actual autism who suffer from disorders from all of the three symptoms groups.

The main difficulty of children with autistic disorders is to interact with the persons around the. They hardly ever make and sustain an eye-contact, resist cuddling, reject any form of affection and never look for it, cannot stand being kissed, have difficulties in making friends and are mostly unable to play with children their age. Autistic patients are not able to understand emotions coming from other persons and have problems with obeying simple rules; this leads them to the incapacity of frequenting a regular school.

Patients show an obsessive interests for repetitive actions and might look at an object fro an increased period of time. They have no imagination and are not interested in imaginative play. The games are almost the same every day and usually match with playing methods used by younger children. The ability to communicate with others is disturbed, cannot keep a conversation and cannot use words in meaningful sentences.

Regular actions like walking, sitting up or down will be later acknowledged and assimilated than normally. All patients with autistic disorders tend to be clumsy and struggle the games lessons at school. Older patients develop obsessive interests for exact timetables and resist changes in their environment. They rapidly become agitated and angered if their routine is modified. Autistic children are extremely sensitive noise and light and might show severe responses.

For greater resources on Autism or especially about autism symptoms please click this link http://www.autism-info-center.com/autism-symptoms.htm