The homeopathic treatment of children is one of the most promising areas of homeopathy. The correct remedy can often give the child a new lease of life.
Didier Grandgeorge is one of the most experienced homeopathic paediatricians in the world today. In this practical handbook, he conveys his immense knowledge and explains the use of proven remedies for all kinds of childhood illness.
The book demonstrates the full spectrum of homeopathic treatment of children: from respiratory disease, fever, flu, diarrhoea, constipation, and cystitis through warts, eczema, diaper rash, herpes, acne, and head lice to injuries, tendonitis, insect bites, allergies, teething complaints, travel sickness, and fever cramps.
Even disturbances such as bedwetting, delayed walking, speech problems, migraine, stage fright, fears and anxiety, and the after effects of vaccinations are discussed.
- Airways: hay fever, nose bleeds, sinusitis, otitis, tonsillitis, coughing, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, flu
- Digestive tract: gastroenteritis, constipation, abdominal pains
- Urogenital tract: bladder and urethral infections, pyelonephritis, leukorrhea, balanitis
- Skin disease such as warts, urticaria, eczema, impetigo, itching, diaper rash, psoriasis, herpes, ingrowing nails, furuncles, vitiligo, acne, head lice
- Injuries: skin, head including teeth and tongue, nose, spinal column, chest, abdomen, genitals, extremities (dislocations, fractures, torn fibres, tendonitis, cramps)
- First- to third-degree burns, sunburn, sun allergy
- Foreign objects, electric shock, insect bites, poisoning, allergies, surgical intervention, dental treatment, vaccination, travel sickness, altitude sickness, frostbite
- Neurological illness: epilepsy, tics, fever cramps, bedwetting, migraine, developmental disturbances (delayed walking and talking), writing and speaking problems, sleep disturbances, stage fright, fears and anxiety, aggression, masturbation
- Aphthae, caries, conjunctivitis, sties, sciatica
- Pregnancy, neonatology (asphyxia, deformations, post-natal mastitis, conjunctivitis in new-borns, jaundice, breastfeeding problems), colic, anorexia, thrush
Summary: an original work that goes well beyond acute cases.
A special chapter deals with the illnesses of pregnancy (varicose veins, nausea), birth and the postnatal period (asphyxia, malformations, jaundice, breastfeeding difficulties) up until the typical diseases of childhood.
Dr Grandgeorge also explains the deeper significance of symptoms, so giving valuable hints to help identify the underlying problem. It is clear that the remedy pointers emerge directly from the experience of a great clinician, which invests the book with unusual originality.
First hand knowledge from a skilled practitioner – a real treasure! Didier Grandgeorge has written a book on acute cases in paediatrics. It is a reference for all specialists in homeopathy looking after children in such acute situations. Acute cases in young children are very tricky and need acute diagnosis. Didier, with his amazing knowledge of the repertory and his approach to homeopathy that is under the influence of psychoanalysis has the ability to go straight to the core of the patients situation. His method is clear and gives the opportunity to work quickly and efficiently!” Patricia Le Roux
"The best book on treating children: Written by a French paediatrician, Didier Grandgeorge, MD, The Homeopathy Handbook for Children: Acutes and Their Homeopathic Treatment. This book is FULL of practical clinical information, including a lot of information not found in any other book on homeopathy. If you treat children or just want better results in treating your own, get this book!" - Dana Ullman
Reprinted with the permission of The Alliance of Registered Homeopaths, from the Journal 'Homeopathy in Practice', Winter/Spring 2013. Reviewed by Elizabeth Adalian.
I had great expectations for this book, having read other texts by the same author. The subtitle, Acutes and their Homeopathic Treatment, fills a void in the existing literature on children to date. In fact, the contents extend way beyond the boundary of what is perceived as 'acute illness' in the minds of both practitioners and their patients.
As is so often the case with Narayana, the publishers of this book, the cover is very attractive: it shows a bouncy smiling baby lying down with a comforting parental hand on the torso (this conveys the message of love, the key ingredient in healing, which is imparted throughout the text). What detracts from the high quality of this publication, however, is the number of 'typos' in the text.
Not only are the usual physical illnesses covered, but also deeper and more chronic states such as bedwetting, delayed development, trauma, and post-vaccination ailments.
Separate chapters focus on the illnesses of pregnancy, birth and the post-natal period (the latter covering the first 18 months of life). This includes shock to the new-born, breast-feeding issues, weaning, dentition, and goes right up to the time of onset of the more typical childhood illnesses. The symbiosis between the mother and the child is emphasised way back to conception.
I appreciate the emphasis on understanding the greater pathology involved in the states discussed, for example recognising that fever is often a precursor to a later eruptive disease. The author acknowledges the importance of times and progression of fever spikes and coughs. The causative factors of diseases such as bronchitis are explored, which reinforces our concept of the timeline in acute illnesses as much as chronic ones.
The author points out hidden illnesses such as urinary tract infections, lung disease, sinusitis, glandular fever, and malaria. He affirms the importance of referral, if necessary, to a doctor in the case of persistent physical illness and a psychologist in case of mental states.
Grandgeorge suggests different potencies throughout the book according to the different disease states discussed. On the whole, he recommends lower potencies, such as 6,12 and 30c, than the ones we traditionally use in the UK. However, for nosodes such as Carcinosin, he advocates 10M.
Each disease category is broken down according to: 1) definition 2) causes 3) consequences (where appropriate) 4) symbolic meaning 5) allopathic treatment (again, where appropriate) 6) optimal remedies 7) repertorisation. Of these categories, I find the last to be the most useful. This is because, for each particular ailment, he selects very specific and useful rubrics. He also explains how the acute remedy often has affinity for the whole case or leads into a related constitutional picture for future prescribing reference.
There is a link to Freud's 'oral' and 'anal' stages of development. He explains that the former links to the mother and is represented in diseases such as rubella, measles, mumps and whooping cough. The latter is related to the father and is represented in diseases such as chickenpox and mononucleosis. (We also learn that scarlatina and hepatitis are related to the 'Oedipus complex'.)
My main criticism of the book relates to the layout. The text is repetitive as each remedy state is redefined under different categories of illness. This takes up a considerable amount of space in the book and becomes tedious for the reader to navigate.
Also, I consider the chapters on pregnancy, neonatology, and acute pathology in the new-born would fit better at the beginning of the book rather than at the very end. This would give some chronological continuity and be altogether less confusing. It means the book ends rather abruptly without any natural conclusion.
The esoteric understanding of the symptoms appeals to me and demonstrates years of observation in practice. I enjoy the play on words - often using French (the author's native language) to understand the deeper concept the illness portrays. An example is shown in his understanding of sinusitis - 'si nu' in French implies 'if you are naked, go'. Therefore, the concept is that the illness indicates vulnerability in going forward in life. (One only has to think of a remedy such as Silicate appreciate how this symbolism fits the picture.) At the same time, he breaks down the different pathological categories of sinusitis into 'ethmoidal' (present from birth), 'maxillary' (arising between the ages of two and four years), and 'frontal' (arising after seven years of age). He proceeds to explain the different significance and resulting approaches to each type. This marrying of the esoteric with the pathological gives substance to this book, which is rare to find in any text on the subject of homeopathy, especially in the case of children.
Review Reprinted with the permission of The Society of Homeopaths. From 'The Homeopath' Journal, Autumn 2012 edition. Reviewed by Ian Hamilton.
Dr Grandgeorge has handed us another possible bible for practice with this book. Successful acute prescribing for infants and children is what wins us many converts, so any tool to help is welcomed. It does not cover all problems in depth, but it touches deeply on many.
The book claims to be aimed at providing keynotes whilst not going into constitutional prescribing. The author suggests that it is "at the second level of homeopathic treatment, with a study of each area of pathology along with possible remedies, based on many years of clinical experience."
Eczema for example, covers two pages. Not much you may think, but within a chapter on acute dermatology, it ranges through most problems we are likely to encounter. The sections on verrucas and eczema both have good charts on parts of the body linked to possible remedies.
Grandgeorge also introduces the spiritual and Freudian ideas he is known for. He gives, for many conditions, the symbolic meaning. Now this is different for a self help book and I think puts it on a different level. It would make the parents think about conditions more deeply. An example is where he discusses constipation, giving the symbolic meaning as the anal stage of development. In laryngitis, he discusses the symbolic meaning as being on a spiritual level of development. The voice is about the word and the right to say no.
I also found the chapter from conception to new-born very useful, which covers also the needs of the mother, with suggestions for things like stretch marks and varicose veins, major worries for many first time mothers. (Stretch marks - massage with 1% Lillium tigrinum based cream twice daily.)
The chapter on childhood diseases is also good, as it gives a balanced view of what they are, how they can be treated homeopathically and the place of vaccination. The symbolic meaning of whooping cough is very enlightening.
I liked very much the section on asthma, in my experience a difficult thing for a homeopath to treat in children, as often at least one parent wants to just go down the allopathic road. This section would be very informative and reassuring for parents in this position and it links with hay fever.
The author sometimes slips into addressing professionals rather than lay people. This is a slight confusion in the book. An example is the section on otitis. The technical detail and suggestions of clinical examination fall outside the scope of most. I put this down to the author being a paediatric doctor, whose concern is for correct diagnosis, after which he can use the correct remedy. It's not a big problem, but shows how sometimes books like this can slip between two audiences.
There is a chapter on neurological and behavioural disorders, which has sections on slow walking, talking and writing and on jealous, dictatorial and precocious children. It also covers epilepsy and enuresis. These topics are rarely considered in this sort of book and are valuable.
I would say the book is aimed at enlightened parents, homeopaths who want to do a bit of fast, effective prescribing and doctors who are willing to embrace homeopathy. Good value for money.
