Homeopathy is an age-old art of healing dating back to the 17th century. Doctors have been practicing homeopathy since its inception in Germany. There are today numerous homeopathic hospitals run by doctors. Countries like India and the United Kingdom are examples of countries with such hospitals.

Many doctors and paediatricians combine homeopathy with their conventional treatment programs. There is also much research describing homeopathy as an “add-on therapy’’. This means homeopathic medications are added to conventional treatment options and a better outcome is achieved than the conventional treatment alone.

Homeopathy is a gentle, natural form of treatment that is effective in both short and longstanding illnesses. It is easy to administer and what is more it is side effect free. This makes it so popular among children and their parents. Children are especially receptive to homeopathy. Their illnesses are generally shorter in duration than those of adults. They have been exposed to less toxins and stress factors, their immune systems are easier to stimulate and they often respond more rapidly to treatment.

The homeopathic philosophy is based on the belief that when your child is healthy, he is content, happy and free of disease. Life and the environment introduce stress factors, which disturb this perfect state of equilibrium resulting in illnesses. For example, young children starting at the crèche become frequently exposed to new viruses. Moving home or the birth of a new child are further examples of stress factors. Homeopathy provides a holistic method of healing, restoring your child to a better level of health and making him less likely to become ill. For example, in treating an allergic child, not only will the allergy resolve but also the child will become more settled, sleeping and eating better than before. An asthmatic child will not only become less wheezy but will have more energy.

In essence homeopathy stimulates your child’s body to heal itself. The aim of a homeopathic treatment is to improve the overall level of health a child allowing the child to achieve her full potential.

Homeopathy is most useful where conventional medicine has limited treatment options or has unwanted side effects. Let us take the common example of a viral infection or cold in children. Conventional medicine has no real answers here apart from relieving symptoms and waiting to see if the illness progresses to a bacterial infection which will require an anti-biotic. Homeopathic remedies can in these waiting periods offer an immune system boost to try avert progression of disease and decrease anti-biotic use.  This is one of many examples of how for almost 20 years now the Clinic for Children has used homeopathy to complement conventional treatment protocols of Dutch, American and other paediatric associations.

Here are some links to some useful medical homeopathy websites: