In the fall of 2010, Emma brought her 5 year old daughter Olive to my office for an initial classical homeopathic consultation. Olive was diagnosed with autism soon after receiving her MMR vaccination at 18 months of age. “Within a week after she got her MMR vaccination, we noticed a difference. 
The daycare told us they thought Olive couldn’t hear. People would call her name and she wouldn’t look at them, people would stomp their feet and she wouldn’t respond. We got her hearing tested but there was nothing wrong with her hearing. We then got her assessed and she was diagnosed with autism.”
I asked Emma about Olive’s language skills. “She knows about 30 words but can’t put them in sentences together. She will just say the individual words.” I then did a complete and thorough assessment of Olive’s symptoms. I observed Olive’s behaviour and asked Emma a long series of questions about Olive’s personality, food preferences, sleep habits, likes and dislikes, as well as a thorough questioning of her physical symptoms. As a classical homeopath, I always prescribe based on the whole person, so I must get a complete picture of both the mental and physical symptoms. Once the initial consultation was over, I analyzed my notes and came up with a constitutional homeopathic remedy that suited Olive as a whole person (mentally and physically).
What is a Constitutional Homeopathic Remedy?
Constitutional homeopathic remedies are prescribed by classical homeopaths. Although naturopaths have some limited training in prescribing homeopathic remedies, only classical homeopaths have enough training (a full 4 years) to prescribe constitutionally. Constitutional homeopathic prescribing for chronic health complaints is extremely powerful and complex and must be regarded with the utmost respect.
Homeopathic remedies are made from something in the natural world such as a plant, mineral or animal. Constitutional homeopathic remedies are given one at a time and never in combination. The remedies are prepared in such a way that they are non-toxic and gentle on the body. They stimulate the body to heal itself. Remedy selection is based on the homeopathic principle that “like cures like” – that is, a substance that would cause symptoms in a healthy person is used to cure those same symptoms in illness. For example, one homeopathic remedy which might be used in a person suffering from insomnia is coffea, a remedy made from coffee.
The First Follow-up
Olive came to my office for her first follow-up 6 weeks later. Emma tells me, “After giving Olive her homeopathic remedy, the autism started to disappear. It was incredible. She was more aware of surroundings. She would notice somebody walking through the door. She became very attentive at school. I could communicate with her.”
I told Emma to repeat the remedy only every 2 weeks, since Olive is on a high potency (high strength) of the remedy. In some cases even one single dose of a remedy can last for weeks or even months.
The Second Follow-up
Emma walks into the office with a smile on her face, “Everything is fantastic at school. She’s concentrating and focusing more. School is unbelievable. Words are coming out right, left and center. She answered questions about a story, was contemplating on what the picture was. She answered all four questions correctly. The teachers were freaking out, she was ready to call me on my cell phone. Her progression has been huge. She’s doing phenomenal. Teachers are noticing she’s becoming more verbal.”
After only a few short months Olive has responded amazingly well to her constitutional homeopathic remedy. I expect to continue to see improvements over time. I am happy beyond words to see what a difference homeopathy has made for Emma, Olive and their family.
About Sonya McLeod
