WHY SUPPLEMENTS AND BIOMEDICAL PROTOCOL DON’T ALWAYS WORK
For most parents of children on the autistic spectrum homeopathy is the last throw of the dice. They have tried pretty much everything else: biomedical protocols, vitamins, supplements, plus endless expensive tests. Until somebody at some point drops the word “homeopathy”, they decide to try and discover that:
a) homeopathy is much more effective than anything else they tried before
b) homeopathy is much easier to work with and much more affordable
That is very much my story: right after my son was diagnosed with autism, I started looking at the latest medical resources. I consulted a biomedical specialist in the US, who suggested a genetic test and then a list of supplements and vitamins. At one point, I was giving my then eight year old son 30 doses a day of various vitamins and supplements. Thirty! After months of this regimen and zero results, the doctor suggested more tests, which would have cost hundreds of dollars each and at that point my husband put his foot down and made me see sense.
After that, I came across something called “homeopathy for autism” while doing my usual internet research and the rest, as they say, is history.
Now I see many parents who have come through similar experiences and wonder why all these protocols don’t work. This article answers the question and, hopefully, will save other parents time and money.
YOUR CHILD IS TOXIC
On the physical level, that is. The biggest issue with children on the spectrum is impaired methylation. Methylation is the process that helps the body to get rid of toxins and absorb nutrients. Children on the spectrum cannot completely detox naturally and are therefore more sensitive to environmental pollutants. Toxins go in but cannot get out, creating a toxic environment and disrupting physiological functions.
THE GUT-BRAIN CONNECTION
Natural detox happens in our gut, liver and kidneys being the major organs responsible for this process. When the liver is not able to expel toxins, it gets saturated with them. This is when we see GI issues like: constipation, diarrhea, bloatedness, gas, restricted diet. The gut is called “the second brain” because it sends signals to the brain. In fact, some doctors call the gut the “first brain”, because whatever happens in the brain, has happened in the gut first. Consequently, if the gut is malfunctioning, brain function will be affected too. This is where we see neurological symptoms, like: poor sleep, stimming, hyperactivity, poor eye contact and so on.
REMOVE-REPAIR-REPLENISH
If your vacuum is full of rubbish and blows dust onto your floor instead of picking it up, there is no point changing the attachments, checking the wire or the battery, getting a new brush…you need to empty the bag, because it’s too full! In the same way, your child’s gut is full or rubbish to begin with, which means that all the vitamins and supplements in the world just won’t “stick” and that is why they often don’t seem to do anything! The gut needs to be “emptied out” of toxins first. This is easier said than done: if you do it too quickly, it can be too harsh for an already fragile system and it can cause unwanted detox reactions. This is where homeopathy has the advantage compared to other modalities: it is gentle and safe. This is what I call the “remove” stage and it can take a few months, depending on the case.
The “repair” stage can be started once you see the first improvements from the first stage. It is common to see children spontaneously move on to different, even healthier foods and have a more varied diet. This is the perfect time to introduce food that helps the detox process along while repairing the gut at the same time: bone broth, kefir, fermented food and others. There is no point trying to force children to eat healthy before they are ready. I once consulted a functional doctor, who told me she would not even see me unless I put my son on a GF/DF/SF diet. At the time my son was four years old and his diet was pasta with pesto sauce and cakes. I knew I would only set myself up to fail so I didn’t see that doctor. However, once my son started homeopathy, one thing that happened was that he decided to try a piece of meat one day, he liked it and since then his diet has been fine, in fact, better than his neuro-typical bigger sister! I see this in my patients too: once the constipation/diarrhea, GI issues are resolved, they start to look at different types of foods on their own. This is when probiotics and prebiotics can be useful, as they will be able to “stick” and repopulate the gut with healthy bacteria.
Once the diet looks more balanced, it is the right time to “replenish” the immune system. Perhaps some vitamins and minerals need to be added, typically iron, B12, sometimes that is not even necessary. Homeopathy can also be useful to re-set the whole immune system. This is the stage where you see your child’s “real” personality coming through and you can see the “constitutional remedy”, the homeopathic remedy that fits the child as an individual. Mothers start saying things like:”My son made a joke! I didn’t even know he had a sense of humour!” That is the beginning of what we are all wishing for: recovery.
For more info on how to help your child with homeopathy, click here.
