Developmental delay and homeopathy

THE first three years of a child’s life are very important. So, as parents, we must be worried about our child developing normally, especially when we see other children doing things that our child has not yet done.

What is developmental delay?

Developmental delay is when the child does not reach his/her developmental milestones at the expected time. (Medically speaking, milestones are certain time-bound developmental goals that a child is supposed to achieve while growing, e.g. learning to walk by the age of 12 or 15 months). Developmental delay is a major delay in the process of a child?s growth. If the child is slightly or only temporarily lagging behind, that is not called developmental delay. Delay can occur in one or many areas ? for example, motor, language, social or cognitive (understanding) skills.

Development delay can occur in one or more specific skills, or it can be generalised delay, which is often known as global developmental delay. To be more precise, global developmental delay is a term used to describe delay in development, which cover all areas. Generally those with global delay will continue to develop but at a slower pace.

Reasons for developmental delays include damage to the brain before or during or after birth, premature birth, brain malformations, chromosomal disorders, infections and hydrocephalous. There are also cases where no reason can be clearly attributed to the delay.

How can homeopathy help?

Homoeopathy can provide a very effective solution treating developmental delays, although in cases of chromosomal defects or in severe brain malformation, this system may not help.

In the first three years of a child?s development, changes of very important nature take place… and what happens during those years? stays for a lifetime. This, the chances of restoring the child back to normalcy are higher if the treatment is given at an early age. Also with homoeopathy, the results in developmental delays can be very fast if causation is clear.

Homoeopathy medicines ? Agaricus, Baryta Carb, Calcarea Carb, Cal Phos and Carcinocin ? are very effective in treating such delays. Calc Phos is a very popular medicine, but it is misused as a panacea for growth. Ihave personally found Carcinocin to be the top medicine for developmental delay.

This is, however, not aimed at advocating self-medication. Medicines should not be used without professional help

CHECK THESE MILESTONES

Here is a set of milestones which if not met by your child in time, should make you look for medical help.

• Not rolling over by six months

• Having head lag when pulled to a sitting position after six months

• Not sitting by himself/herself without support by eight months

• Not crawling by12 months

• Not walking by 15 months

• Not speaking a single word, (mamma, dadda) by 15 months

• Not pointing to named objects (dog, nose) between 12-24 months

• Not initiating speech sounds by 12 months

• Not adding more words every month