Up to 50% of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) problems including diarrhea, constipation, gas/bloating, acid reflux/heartburn, inflammatory bowel disease/colitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, candida and yeast overgrowth, abdominal pain, cramping and colic. There are many biomedical treatments to help with these GI complaints; however, few parents know that since homeopathy treats the whole child, it is a safe, gentle and effective treatment for their GI concerns.
In a previous blog I wrote about some publications that discussed the homeopathic treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). I mentioned that there are several other intriguing scientific studies showing that homeopathy can help with other related conditions that are commonly seen in children with autism spectrum disorders including diarrhea, allergies, ear infections, colds and flu’s. In a follow-up blog I discussed the homeopathic treatment of recurrent ear infections to save kiddos from ear tube surgery. This blog continues that series to discuss how homeopathic treatment can help digestive problems in children with ASDs.
Homeopathy has been scientifically proven to help childhood diarrhea. Acute childhood diarrhea is difficult to study on its own in the United States because it is not as prominent a cause of death as in developing countries. However, it is important to know that the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that childhood diarrhea is one of the most important health problems to treat today because millions of children die every year in developing countries from dehydration due to diarrheal illnesses. Because of this, some homeopathic researchers took the task of studying the homeopathic treatment of diarrhea in Nicaragua and Nepal.
In a study published in 1994 in the esteemed journal Pediatrics, 81 children in Nicaragua were treated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial of IV fluids plus individualized homeopathic treatment versus IV fluids plus placebo.(1) The homeopathic treatment group had a statistically significant decrease in the duration of their diarrhea. To make sure that the results were consistent in a different patient population, the study was replicated in Nepal with 116 children and was published in 2000 in the journal JCAM.(2) That study showed consistent positive results with homeopathic treatment. A follow-up meta-analysis of 242 children was published in 2003 in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. That study showed a highly significant result in decreasing the duration of childhood diarrhea with homeopathic treatment compared to placebo (P=0.008).(3) See the references below with links to the study abstracts. Since many children with ASDs suffer from diarrhea, homeopathy is a safe and effective alternative treatment.
Additionally, homeopathy can be very effective for intestinal inflammatory changes in children with autism. Inflammatory bowel problems are becoming so prominent in these kids that there is even a new diagnostic term emerging called autistic enterocolitis. At this point, the causes of GI inflammation in autistic children remains controversial. To find out more about how homeopathy can help inflammatory bowel syndrome (a.k.a. Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Autistic Enterocolitis) read more here on the Arizona Natural Health Center website. On that page we have more extensive information on inflammatory bowel disease including a vignette of a woman successfully helped by homeopathic treatment at Arizona Natural Health Center.
Homeopathy can also be very effective for treating childhood constipation, acid reflux/heartburn, gas/bloating, eosinophilic esophagitis, abdominal pain, candida and yeast overgrowth, cramping and colic. To find out more if homeopathy may be able to benefit your child’s digestive problems, contact us and ask our office staff to set up a free 15-minute consultation with one of our doctors.
References (click below to links to article abstracts):
- Jacobs J., et al, Treatment of Acute Childhood Diarrhea With Homeopathic Medicine: A Randomized Clinical Trial in Nicaragua. Pediatrics Vol. 93 No. 5 May 1, 1994 pp. 719 -725
- Jennifer Jacobs, L. Margarita Jiménez, Stephen Malthouse, Elizabeth Chapman, Dean Crothers, Mary Masuk, and Wayne B. Jonas. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. April 2000, 6(2): 131-139. doi:10.1089/acm.2000.6.131.
- Jacobs J., et al, Homeopathy for childhood diarrhea: combined results and metaanalysis from three randomized, controlled clinical trials. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal: March 2003 – Volume 22 – Issue 3 – pp 229-234
