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I chose this case as an example of what the path toward healing with homeopathy can truly look like. There were several reasons I chose this case. First, this case is an example of how many remedies a child may need to go through to get to a place where relief is “sticking” and is significant. Secondly, this case is moderate in complexity and serves as a good example of a typical case I am used to working with (however I also work with much more complex cases than this and we still see benefits when the family is patient and compliant). Next, this case presents many layers and several “blocks” that came up which needed to be addressed: parasites, strep A and B, strep pneumonia, and Lyme and co-infections. And lastly, this case exemplifies how using multiple modalities (not just homeopathy) can really elevate a case to a new level.
Names have been changed to protect identity.
Monica consulted with me for her 9 year old son after trying another homeopath. While she had made progress with the other homeopath who specialized in CEASE therapy, she felt her son still had a very long way to go and she was also looking for someone who was accessible on email between appointments. Her son was diagnosed with PDD (autism), separation anxiety, and OCD (associated with PANDAS/PANS). The series of events and homeopathy protocols in this article took place over a one year period.
Reckaweg R56 and Lac Lupinum
We got started right away with Reckaweg R56 worm drops selected to address the possible block that parasites were imposing. Her son had a strong “detox” response (fever, stomach issues, didn’t want to eat). This response was temporary and resolved on it’s own quickly. We next moved onto a constitutional remedy, Lac Lupinum (wolf).
Strep nosode
We were not convinced that Lac lupinum was bringing any gains to the table and we were even suspecting that it was bringing up a “layer” of strep that needed to be cleared. So we moved on quickly to Strep AB nosode (group A and B strep combo remedy). Monica reported improvements and even that the long-term rash on his face had cleared up a bit after his first dose. I advised that she dose again and she reported the following improvements:
After the second dose, no more stomach issues, face got smoother (usually red, blotchy and rough skin)…he did really well it felt like he was thinking clearer, more aware of what is being done for him, grateful, more lucid!
Arsenicum bromatum
We then tried a different constitutional remedy: Arsenicum bromatum. Monica said that he was:
Doing really well on Arsenicum bromatum, really bright and happy, communicating appropriately when frustrated, doing well with school work, seems more confident. At one point he had a stellar day and went to a place he hates going to!
At one point Monica felt that he was falling back into a PANDAS flare and she took it upon herself to give him another dose of the strep nosode and she stated that this smoothed things out. She also reported that they experienced:
The first full moon in a long time where it hasn’t been bad and he slept well.
She reported the following gains at this point:
Separation anxiety slowly getting smaller and smaller, but not gone; not hiding at the store, actually chiming into conversation (huge); perfectionism: doing well with that, more flexible, still gets frustrated but not nearly what he was; not hitting himself; more self-lead.
However she also reported the following issues still: anger when told no…not as bad but still struggles; noise sensitivity is still a big one, won’t go to peoples houses because of dogs and noises, but at home it has loosened a lot; afraid of dogs; still short tempered but lessened; constant talking.
I advised that Monica not give remedies for one week because I was suspecting that he was in an aggravated state (just too many doses of remedies in general). I wanted to see if gains would follow the aggravation and also wanted a clearer picture of what symptoms remained so the next constitutional remedy would be more obvious to me.
She did wait one week, then we talked again. She reported that he had calmed down on some things but it was clear that the low self-confidence with peers was still big, the noise sensitivity was still an issue, and the fear of dogs was still an issue. He still had OCD about big projects (getting fixated on big ideas) and wasn’t able to let the ideas go. He also had the constant need to talk, which was almost “stimmy” in nature.
It should be noted that in the midst of all of this she was giving a homeopathic remedy called histaminum as needed for suspected histamine reactions (physical or emotional/mental) and she reported that he was experiencing gains from this (sleeping better and calmer).
Oxygenium and Magnesia phosphoricum
The next constitutional remedy I chose for this case was Oxygenium (a mineral remedy made from oxygen). Monica reported that her son was a bit more outgoing with peers but not hugely. No other gains were reported so we moved on relatively quickly to Magnesia phosphoricum (which I had her order previously as a back up remedy in case oxygenium didn’t work). She reported some good gains with this, especially being more outgoing shortly after a dose of mag phos. Verbal stimming was down, but sound sensitivity up. Monica reported the following with this remedy:
Less anxious, more engaged, more focused, still clearing throat after the acute illness last month. Week one and two on this remedy were good, During week three on one particular night he experienced stomach aches (near full moon), woke up with foot pain and sharp pains in his feet (this was an old symptom that had come back…he had this when he was 3). Overall his days on mag phos were really good, then the next days rough, like a waning response over the weeks with loose bowels on day of full moon.
It should be noted that Monica does dose strep nosode intercurrently with these remedies when she suspects he needs a dose.
Lachesis and Argentum carbonica
We moved onto Lachesis with no response. We then started Argentum carbonica and Monica reported that he was acting more even keeled and calm. But the separation anxiety and self-consciousness continued and even some rage had surfaced. At this point I started to suspect we really needed to work on clearing a pathogen other than strep A or B, which may be blocking the case from reaching it’s full potential.
Pneumococcinum (nosode for strep pneumonia)
We started Pneumococcinum and the response we saw then had me feeling like we had hit “pay dirt”. He developed acute symptoms: sinus and lung congestion. When homeopathy begins to work on the mental/emotional level, often times symptoms will “move out” to the physical level (and often times these new physical symptoms are a return of old symptoms as well). This is an indication that the case was moving in the proper direction.
First acute protocol: Drosera, Carbo vegetabilis, and Pneumococcinum
For the sinus and lung congestion we gave him a remedy called Drosera for cough, and Carbo veg for fatigue and other symptoms. The acute symptoms clear up and the pandas flare seems to calm down but sound sensitivity was very high at this point. I instructed her to go up in potency of Pneumococcinum to 10M.
Calcarea silicata, Stramonium, and continuing Pneumococcinum
After this acute situation was cleared up, we started with a new constitutional remedy: Calcarea silicata. Stramonium was also suggested as needed for more acute fight or flight situations (sort of like a secondary constitutional remedy). We also continued Pneumococcinum as we felt it was still bringing significant gains.
Monica then reported that:
Calcarea sil was really helping the social anxiety/separation anxiety piece and that Stramonium was really helping fight or flight flare behavior. She stated that he was
doing really well.
She stated that some OCD and separation anxiety is still there. He had also experienced some wheezing after dosing (which was an old symptom and a moving out of symptoms to the physical level).
Lyme and co-infections nosode
The last remedy (so far) I have chosen in this case is Lyme and co-infections (this is a combo remedy) nosode. Monica reported numerous gains. She also added in a new modality: Functional Neurology. Here is what she reported with the new nosode:
The first dose started with a day or two of irritability and being mean (this is an aggravation), but had better focus two days after. More self-motivated.
Second dose caused a major tantrum two hours later, but pulled him out of it pretty quickly and then onto a night of more thoughtfulness, lighter mood. Next day, more reasonable, no anxiety going to a new activity and coped with dog in the building (separation anxiety and fear of dogs being two of the central features of his case).
He has had an uptake in energy BIG time. Total boy energy that I have never seen. He went outside without earplugs to play (extreme sound sensitivity was one of the features of his case)! Dogs barking at neighbors, but no comments or recognition of it. He is playing tons outside (no ear plugs) and told me I didn’t need to let him know where I was going that he was fine (when I was roaming around outside) and then he ran off to the trampoline. Next day was VERY calm, brought his own laundry down, good initiative in school. He said later that day that lately he felt like he wasn’t hearing things as strongly. Things weren’t as loud.
Overall very good fit! He has stopped wearing his earplugs when playing in the yard and he has cut them out of most of his activities minus a few. Starting to talk about the benefits of separating from me and had a day when he was out with grandma and a friend.
Monica also reported more wheezing and eczema had come back (return of old symptoms AND symptoms moving out to the physical plane). She said that histaminum continues to help wheezing.
The latest report I heard from Monica is that her son is now attending school for a day and a half per week (a year ago he couldn’t attend even one class without his mom sitting in his sight, he is now being dropped off all day long)!
Monica felt that the addition of functional neurology was also part of this because she could see gains after both lyme nosode doses and also after his neurology sessions. This highlights the benefit of using two or more modalities, as they tend to be synergistic and supportive of each other.
Why did this case work?
This case is an example of tenacity. It does take perseverance and often times pursuing one protocol after another, and being compliant with dosing. There were also times when Monica took dosing decisions into her own hands, using her own intuition as a guide. Frequent follow-up can be necessary, especially at first, in a case in order to get to permanent resolution of symptoms. Some symptoms will permanently resolve early on in a case, and some will resolve much later in a case. With homeopathy, we don’t always get to choose in which order they resolve, but in general the order is cognitive, then emotional, then physical. This can often mean that as a person is becoming more aware of their surroundings, experiencing more clarity, focus, or improved memory, they may experience a “detox” or release of emotions. Also, as a person is experiencing an improvement on an emotional level, he/she may experience more physical symptoms (often times these symptoms are ones which were experienced in the past). This is considered the “direction of cure” (cognitive to emotional to physical) and can also be considered a “return of old symptoms” as the case resolves. These are typical reactions during a homeopathy case and actually serve as a guide that we are on the right path.
In Monica’s son’s case we saw a return of wheezing, a heightening of sound sensitivity (I see this frequently), and some eczema as the case was resolving. Sometimes these final physical symptoms do require a new homeopathy protocol, however sometimes they call for a change in diet or a totally different modality. Each case is unique.
I hope that this helps to give a clear picture of how homeopathy works! Feel free to schedule a free 15 minute session with me by clicking the link below if you would like to discuss my practice further and to see if homeopathy has the potential to help you or your child 🙂
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