As we complete this series on ADHD, I’d like to share with you some insights from Healing Complex Children with Homeopathy – a wonderful book from Angelica Lemke, ND.
The book is full of remedy ideas, the kind of remedies you would not have thought about in the first place, using an intuitive method as part of the broader scientific approach of homeopathy for ADHD children. In the first part of this article I’ll give you examples of ADHD remedies from the homeopathic toolbox mentioned in the book. In the second part we’ll explore further this meditation/intuition guidance to know your patient/family member better and hence help them in a deeper way. Sankaran’s method of finding whether it’s an animal, plant or mineral remedy is a big part of Lemke’s work. For those of you who are not familiar with homeopathy, I invite you to look at the articles on this blog about this amazing subject. Of course, you could always register to AMCC’s Homeopathic program or individual courses!
Remedies for Hyperactive Children
Some children are “naturally” hyperactive, meaning it’s their nature to have a lot of energy and we sort of have to deal with it. But in other cases, the child’s (or adult’s!) behavior is dangerous to his own progress in life.
Adrenalinum
When children have been consistently in fight or flight mode, full of energy, really intense. High adrenaline may show up on lab tests.
Animal and insect remedies
Children in animal remedy states seem to be reacting more from instincts and are challenged by acting in a more controlled manner.
Apis
Intense inflammation, redness, swelling, hives, bad red eczema, asthma, allergies, anaphylaxis. Children who are environmentally sensitive, hyperactive, organized, and may like certain shapes, letters or patterns.
Argentum met or nit
Very socially sensitive children. Empathetic, but nervous about social gatherings because of how intensely they feel things. Neurotic wit lots of fears, can be very silly and attention seeking. Tics, speech issues. Electric shock sensations.
Belladonna
High energy, active children with tendency to brain inflammation/rages/tantrums with dilated pupils and superhuman strength. Strong fears with a need for routine. Can be used for acute fevers or as a general anti-inflammatory remedy for the nervous system in low potency.
Carcinocin
Co-dependent on parent or medication. Needs to exert control over everything since they are so overwhelmed. Can’t sleep at night because they can’t turn off thoughts. Passionate, loves nature. Family may be over-scheduled.
Coffea
Hyperactive, insomnia, rush of ideas, neurotic. Sensitive to coffee or overuse of coffee in the family.
Hyoscyamus
Brain inflammation leading to rage. Controlling of mother, very jealous of siblings. Acts with no shame, like showing genitals/butt, masturbating, or swearing (exhibition). Stool/urine accidents.
Iodum
Hurried, always on the move, non-stop kids who are agitated and obsessive. Ritualistic. Child is ravenous, has high metabolism. Thyroid issues in the family. Children of immigrants who lost their culture.
Lachesis
Passionate, talkative, social, jealous, competitive, moody children. Sepsis, parasitic infections, blood stagnation. Can be violent, manipulative, lashing out. Tend to be warm and intolerant of tight clothing.
Medorrhinum
Precocious, artistic, passionate children who are advanced early on but have frequent infections, asthma, bacterial dysbiosis, sinusitis. Behavior alternates between extreme states such as shy to social, or empathetic to cruel and destructive.
Stramonium
Rage. Dark fears, wide-eyed look of terror, fearful of death/dying, strong fear of the dark. Need for company. Tendency to inflammation, tics. Tourette’s. PTSD. Seizures. Very sensory sensitive. Childish.
Sulphur
Warm, generous, lazy, messy, funny children who like people. They want someone to take care of them so they can have fun exploring their hobbies, collections or video games. Poor detoxers prone to many infections.
Tarentula hispanica
Speedy, neurological, sensory sensitive children who love rhythmic music, which helps to regulate them. Can be violent, manipulative, lashing out, with hallucinations. Social and competitive or isolated and withdrawn.
Tuberculinum
Sarcastic, cynical, self-centered, dissatisfied, defiant, mean and destructive. Lung weakness, tendency to fungal infections. Time conscious that life/things will be over fast, so they have to fit it all in; hurried.
Valeriana
Nervous system is worked up causing sleeplessness. Red parts turn white, hysterical spasms, weak stomach/digestion. Feverish and sweaty. Similar to Chamomilla.
Veratrum album
Cold, cruel behavior, very intellectual with no heart. A desire to be the leader of the group with fear of being excluded or looked down upon. Migraines, diarrhea, prostration.
Zincum met
Wired and fast in the brain, don’t know when to stop, doing work/activity over and over again. Useful for tics, stuttering, and sleep disorders.
Concrete Example of Complex Child
All this may seem like a long, lifeless list so let me give you an example of how one of these remedies resonated with my daughter:
Three-year old Esther is full of life, smart and busy… like a bee! She was suffering from “selective speech” which is an uncommon disorder where the child speaks at home but not outside, like in her kindergarten where it started to be an issue after a few months. The teacher didn’t know the sound of her voice! I gave her Phosphorus at first for her anxiety and it helped a bit to open up, but only after reading Angelica Lemke’s book did I realize I needed to find something more specific. After observing my own daughter during holiday season, I found that she would benefit from an animal kingdom remedy (she’s often comparing herself to others, jealous, competitive…) but which one? Then I started to notice little things: how the insects were more fascinating to her than other living beings, how she was careful about patterns and colors, so I looked more into the insect sub-group.
Finally I read Angelica’s description of Apis and I realized my daughter was always busy like a bee! (Apis is the homeopathic remedy derived from the bee). Jealousy and high-pitch screams are also common with this remedy. The fact that she would be anxious outside the home (=the hive) would make sense.
After a few doses, she’s now very comfortable in her kindergarten and though she’s still very busy with everything that’s going on around her, I find her more balanced and happy. Most importantly, I got to really listen to her and understand her deeply (her motivations, what drives her). I would not have thought of the bee without Healing Complex Children with Homeopathy: for me it was an almost specific remedy for stings or allergies.
A Meditative Guide to Finding the Remedy
With the help of Dr. Sankaran, homeopaths are learning to listen more deeply to their patients in order to find the right remedy. Lemke’s book expands on this and here’s the description about how to Listen with intuition:
“The intuitive intake process is fundamental when treating children (and especially non verbal kids) because case taking is primarily done via the parent. It is only through imagining what it is like to be the child that we can have a great insight into their experiences and ultimately find remedies that could help them.
During my case taking, after I gather all the facts, I ask parents to close their eyes, take a few deep breaths and relax, and picture their child. I ask the parent to imagine their child at their happiest and feel what it is like to be them at this moment. I often start with asking about the happiest moment because this is an easier access point for parents to connect to. I ask the parent to go empathically into detail – what does it feel like IN THE BODY, in the heart, the feet, the muscles, the joints, the face etc. I then ask the parent, as their eyes are closed, what does it feel like when their child feels the opposite, the most stressed. Picture the child – what do they do, what look is on their face? What does it feel like?
You can listen to a guided meditation at www.homeopathyforcomplexchildren.com to help you tap into the energy of your child, or you can meditate on your own using the text below to guide you.
Some questions to ask while you are imagining your child:
- Describe what is happening in her body?
- How does this affect her?
- What does it feel like?
- What comes to mind when she feels it, what does this remind you of?
- Describe the feeling (heavy, light, pain, tense, etc.)
- Do you have a gesture that describes it?
- What is the opposite of this feeling?
- What makes her happiest? How does happy feel like in the body? What does it remind you of?
- What is most stressful? What does it feel like in the body? Is there pain? What does it feel like? What happens next?
- Imagine her moving – how does she look/feel when moving? What does it remind you of?
- Imagine her under social stress – how does she feel under stress out in the world/playground/work?
- Imagine you are her, you feel how she feels. Now imagine walking into nature. What shows up? What do you see?
- Imagine looking into her eyes – what is she communicating to you through her eyes?
Write these sensations down and you will see a polarity between how the child feels at their best and worst. Once completed, this is an amazing guide. It is incredible how many times I have guided parents into imagining what it is like to be their children and the result has been a revelation to them.
This is not a practice to do just one time but to continue on a regular basis, because the state of a child in constantly in flux. It is a practice that opens our hearts and connects us psychically to our children, which can be crucial especially for nonverbal ch
Yael Meir,
Classical Homeopath (H.D.) specialized in ASD: Autism, Depression and ADHD.
Visit my blog at: https://ymeir.blogspot.com/
You can reach me for a consultation on Zoom at y0556706407@gmail.com.
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