Dr. G Bhargava

If your child is suffering from mental retardation, homeopathy can help. A system of complementary medicine, homeopathy works on the dictum of ‘like treats like’. It is able to treat some of the toughest disorders and illnesses that allopathy finds hard to contain.

Mental retardation: Definition

• Mental retardation is a blanket term for a pattern of persistently slow learning of basic motor and language milestones during childhood.
• The adult manifests a below-normal intellectual capacity too.Such people have an intelligence quotient (IQ) of 70 or below.
• They usually have developmental disabilities, developmental delay, or learning difficulties.

Signs

These signs should alert parents and spur them to see a doctor-

1. If your child learns to sit up, to crawl, or to walk later than other children
2. Trouble speaking and forming words, remembering things, and having trouble understanding social rules
3. Trouble solving problems
4. Trouble thinking logically

What needs to be made clear is that poor academic performance by itself is not a sign of mental retardation. It can be due to multifarious reasons like behaviour problems.

Causes of mental retardation

1. Down syndrome and Fragile X syndrome are the most common genetic causes of mental retardation.
2. Problems during pregnancy and birth
3. Rubella infection in pregnant mother
4. Iodine deficiency in mothers
5. Malnutrition is a common cause of reduced intelligence in children.

Here are some homoeopathic remedies for the treatment of mental retardation. All you have to keep in mind is to treat this article as a guide and take medicines only under the guidance of a certified and trained homeopath.

1. Abrotanum: This remedy works when your child shows marked emaciation of legs, has ageing, flabby, and loose skin, and he cannot hold up his head.
2. Baryta carb: This homeopathy remedy is very effective in treating cretinism which is marked by a dwarfish appearance, mental retardation, with swollen abdomen, puffy face, enlarged glands, thick lips and short stature. Such children also show delayed milestones like learning to walk and speak.
3. Calcarea carb: When your child presents symptoms like obesity, a chalky look with red face, large belly, large head, pale skin, soft bones, increased sweating, mental slowness, de¬layed skills-walking, talking, etc., this remedy is indicated.
4. Medorrinum: The remedy is prescribed by homeopaths when your child presents symptoms like dullness and sluggishness, extreme forgetfulness, imbecility, impatience, irritability, difficulty in concentration etc. The remedy is very good for treating delusions, hallucinations, and illusions.

There are other things that you as a parent can do to help your intellectually disabled child like learn everything you can about intellectual disabilities. This way you can guide your child to live a near-normal life successfully. Also get your child involved in group activities like art classes, drawing etc. This will help him learn social skills and become more independent.

From terrorism to natural disasters, there are a number of traumatic events that constantly hurl themselves at us. Given the amount of stress it causes an adult, imagine how a child can process this information. Often traumatic events that occur in childhood can trigger phobias and anxiety disorders that last a lifetime if not dealt correctly.

Each child responds to trauma in a different way depending on the circumstances and their age and personality. What is common is that all children turn towards their parents and teachers for support in these situations. Hence, it is important to understand how to help your child deal with traumatic events.

Here are a few steps you should follow:

1. Provide comfort: The first thing to do in a traumatic event is to reassure and comfort the child. Reinforce your child's sense of security by following a normal schedule and maintaining regular eating and sleeping habits. Encourage your child to talk and ask questions and discuss the situation with them in a way appropriate to your child's age and concerns.
2. Accept their needs: Children show the need for reassurance in different ways. For some, it may be the need for extra physical contact in the form of hugs while for others it may be ensuring that their favourite teddy bear is with them constantly. Be patient with children and indulge their needs in such situations.
3. Limit the amount of information available: Media often magnifies a traumatic event making it all the more difficult for a child to apprehend. Children can often be mislead or frustrated by media coverage of a traumatic event. Thus, it is a good idea to limit the use of television, radios and internet. As far as possible do not let your child watch the news alone.
4. Stay in touch: If your child goes to school, his or her teacher is the parent figure at school. Stay connected with your child's teachers and the other adults in their life to monitor changes in behavioral patterns.
5. Create distractions: If left alone with nothing to do, a child's mind will dwell on the trauma. Encourage them to find a hobby to cope with the negative emotions. Music and art are two good outlets for stress. You could also play board games, read or play outdoors to distract them.
6. Get professional help: Sometimes you may need help to deal with a traumatic event in your child's life. If your child shows signs of behavioral changes, academic problems, emotional outbursts, anxiety, depression, insomnia or social withdrawal; you should consult a professional counselor.