1. AD/HD, Autism Spectrum,Tourettes, OCD, Bipolar Disorders
(Assessments and Clinical & Classroom Interventions)
Presented by
Gregory Peechatt DHM., Ph.D., ND.
Doctor of Homeopathic Medicine (UK), Certified School Psychologist and Professional Naturopath.
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2. What exactly does a normal child look like?
Nobody knows any more!
We have long since passed the time when childhood was an un-graded test—take your time, build your forts, play your games…the clock does not start until high school, may be college. Now we give home-work as early as in first grade. We are very busy people. Parents who value education (especially those from Asia, Latin America etc.) will do anything, to help their child get ahead.
Very soon a teacher in a middle school may say to the students “and now I’ll take a 5-minute break while all of you check your cell phones for messages”. Now-a-days children and adolescents are always on the go. Frontal lobe stimulation is non-stop or constant: video games, music, I-pod. all do it.

3. Some statistical facts
AD/HD affects 2 million school-aged children (3-5%)
Preschoolers diagnosed with a language disorder have 80% chance of having AD/HD
60-80% of LD have co-occurring AD/HD
Percentages of children 6-11 dx. w/ AD/HD and/or LD
all AD/HD AD/HD only AD/HD & LD LD only All Children Boys Girls White Black Hispanic Source : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, May ‘02

4. What is going on in America. U. S
What is going on in America! U.S. News & World Report 2001 had an article ‘Does America has ADD?’
Lately a typical classroom in U.S. has at least one child with an AD/HD Diagnosis
In some schools almost one third of the student body is on stimulant Rx.
In 1988 half a million children were on Ritalin. Now more than 3 million are on it.
From 1990 to 96 Rx. for AD/HD increased 500%. Imagine the %age from ‘97 to 2005!
Autism was extremely rare prior to 1943.
1966 research found 5 per 10,000 children autistic while presently it is 67 per 10,000.

5. Some alarming findings:
Recent studies are finding that MMR vaccine may be one of the etiological factors of Autism, AD/HD, Allergies, Diabetes, Encephalitis, Asthma etc. and even SIDS.
AD/HD is easily misdiagnosed confusing it with similar Psych. Conditions like LD, ED, ODD, OCD, RAD, SAD, PDD, Aspergers, Anxiety Disorders, Panic attacks, Tourettes etc. and Physical conditions like high lead levels, adenoid inflammation/tonsillitis etc.
Sky high Rx. of stimulant medicines is due to the ‘quick fix’ mentality of the general public, media attention & advertisement, drug pushing & lack of research and information on alternatives.

6. What is autism/autism spectrum disorder?
It is a neurological-developmental disorder that affects socialization, communication and behaviors.
Neurological: Malformations in the following areas of brain can lead to symptoms of autism.
- Frontal lobe – planning
- Hippocampus – memory and learning
- Temporal lobe – auditory, speech and memory
- Amygdala – emotions
- Cerebellum – motor skills, shifting attention
Though neurological there is no brain scan or blood test for autism. Research is being conducted by NIH, NAAR (National Alliance for Autism Research), UC Davis MIND Intitute (Mental Illness and Neurological Disorders)

7. Instruments used in Assessment/Diagnosis
Daily Functioning: Vineland (both editions), Observations both in structured and non structured settings (structured-often no signs)
Social & Emotional Dynamics: BASC : Parent and Teacher Rating Scales : BASC Clinical Scales has the A-typicality column which can show the following:
- Seems out of touch with reality, - Tries to hurt self
- Babbles to self - Rocks back and forth for long periods of time
Attention: Conner’s or other rating scales, IVA-CPT
Cognitive and Achievement: Speech/Language testing etc.
Clinical Diagnosis: Check whether the child has developmental disabilities significantly affecting his/her verbal and non verbal communication abilities and social interaction.
Repetitive action, stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental changes in daily routine, unusual responses to sensory experiences. GARS can identify many of the above.

8. Understanding diagnostic criteria is important because
There are wide range & wide combination of symptoms
No two children dx. with autism will look alike
There will be wide range of how the disorder is presented at home and in the classroom
Each child has to be taken as an in individual with a unique profile. This is why autism is looked as a spectrum disorder
Autism is on the continuum of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)
Asperger Syndrome is a neurological/social disorder involving a cluster of behaviors including lack of empathy, decreased ability to form friendships, one-sided conversations, clumsy movements, and intense interest in specific subjects. Usually has average or above I.Q.

9. More facts on Autism Spectrum Disorders
3 : 1 male to female ratio
70-80% IQ scores within MR range
50% of siblings having autistic traits
Causes are unknown – still research going on genetic and pre-natal levels
Can MMR vaccine be a culprit? It is controversial
No “cure” for Autism in conventional medicine. Rx. Address symptoms, not the delay.
In alternative approaches especially the CSEs (Cell Signal Enhancers). Homeopathically prepared medicines appears to be quite promising for partial ‘cure’ of the Autism spectrum disorders, gut problems, communication (verbal and non verbal) difficulties, sleep disturbance etc.

12. AD/HD- History, Definition & Description
In the 1950s it was known as MBD
In 1970s in DSM-II, it was Hyperactivity
In 1987 DSM-III-R coined the term AD/HD
Latest description came out in the DSM-IV (1994) It organized the criteria of ADHD in 2 subtypes: (i) symptoms of inattention, distractibility and disorganization (ii) behavioral problems, such as hyperactivity and impulsivity.
Definition: AD/HD is a neurological disorder involving a cluster of behaviors including problems with concentration, attention, impulsivity and often an excessively high level of motor activity that emerges early in a child’s life and persists over time.

13. In assessing, following should be strictly observed
Age at the onset of the disorder: for formal dx. the child should be at least 6 years old (for children who are M.R. or otherwise developmentally delayed, instead of their C.A. their M.A. must be the criterion for dx.)
Number and severity of symptoms,
Pervasiveness and severity of impairment,
Persistence: for formal dx the symptoms must be continuously present at least six months.
Alternative dx. & co-existing mental disorders
In short: The essential features of AD/HD are: developmentally inappropriate degrees of Inattention, Impulsivity and Hyperactivity.

14. Best practice for Assessment/Diagnosis
Assess all three dimensions of AD/HD – Inattention is the most important dimension:
Attention must be viewed from four angles:
- coming to attention or focus
- choosing the stimulus to focus (selective attention)
- staying focused on task (sustained attention)
- resisting distraction (freedom from distractibility)
Assess functioning in different settings
Use multiple sources of information: Interview parents, teachers, coaches, baby sitters – Observe the child in different settings and times – use rating scales completed by different persons – Psycho/educational tests – If possible use continuous performance tests like IVA-CPT.
A sad fact: Usually dx. is done by short parent/child interview by MD

15. Definition of Tourettes and OCD
Tourettes Syndrome is a neurological disorder involving a cluster of behaviors that include involuntary movements and uncontrollable vocal sounds.
Smaller basal ganglia (tics comes from this area) specifically the area of the caudate nucleus (Arch Gen Psy., 4/2003). Frontal inhibitory mechanisms are altered in TS and OCD (Beh. Neurg 03) TS w/ADHD shows significant impairment in many executive areas (Neuropsychology – 2003)
OCD is a neurological disorder involving a cluster of behaviors that includes repetitive thoughts and behaviors.
OCD showed enhanced amplitude in the right tempo-parietal and prolonged latencies in the right parietal indicating significantly impaired memory performance. (Psychiatry Research 7/2003)
OCD & TS patients show impairment in frontal striatal-thalamic circuit (Behavior Neurology, 2003)

16. How common is childhood bipolar disorder?
Epidemiologic studies are few and are mainly “follow-back” studies of adults with bipolar disorder.
Life time prevalence of BPD I and BPD II
- in adults is 3-6 %
- 30% onset before age 20
Lifetime prevalence of sub-threshold BPD
- through age 18 = 4.5%
- peak incidence at age 14
Like all the other neuro-psychiatric disorders, the dx. of BPD is on the increase.
Treatment with antidepressants &/or stimulant medications may worsen the severity of the disorder.

17. Fundamentals of Homeopathy
What is Homeopathy?
It is a more than 200 years old, well established medical practice based on three basic principles:
(i)‘similia similibus curentur’ = ‘likes are cured by likes’
This means, the disease syndrome which is caused by the intake of a substance in large enough quantity can be cured by the very same substance when administered in the Homeopathically prepared from.

18. (ii) ‘The more a substance is diluted, the greater its potency’
This is done through an alchemical process called potentization. In this, a substance is systematically diluted (sometimes even to the point of leaving no original molecule in it) and then either by grinding it a certain number of times (trituration) or by shaking it vigorously in liquid solution (succussion). This decreases the material part of the drug and increases its effectiveness as a remedy. Hence no side effect.
(iii) ‘An illness is specific to an individual’- Wholistic Medical Model.

19. Allopathic Tx. Vs. Homeopathic Approach
The Downside of Ritalin (the most commonly used Rx. for AD/HD)
Derived from the same family of cocaine
Effects lasts only for four hours of so (even the sustained release Rx. like Adderall, Concerta, Metadate etc.do not last for the whole day)
Treats only some of the symptoms of AD/HD
Provides superficial healing, do not treat root of the problem

20. Can cause side effects such as appetite loss, anxiety, insomnia, tics, headaches, stomach upset etc.(though very rare, even Tourettes Syndrome)
May need to take for a long time, sometimes even for an entire life span.
Prescription medicines are several times more expensive than homeopathic remedies.
Although very rare, may get children into the habit of taking drugs.
The pros of homeopathic tx. for AD/HD
Treats the whole person at the root of the problem.
Observed to be 100% safe without any side effects.
Costs only a fraction of the conventional medicines.

21. Major differences between Allopathic Tx. and Homeopathic Tx.
Allopaths often prescribe the same medicine (at least generically) for all the persons who has the same diagnostic disease name.
Homeopaths almost always recommend entirely different medicines for persons with the same diagnosis.
This is because homeopathic prescription is based on the matching of the profile of a whole person with the total symptom picture of a remedy.
Homeopathy focuses on the whole person than the differential dx.
Homeopathy uses all natural and non-toxic Rx.

22. Homeopathy treats each person as an individual.
Homeopathy heals physical, mental as well as emotional symptoms.
Effect lasts for months or years (in some cases even a life time)
For personality profiling collect all the data:
in the area of physical health,
in the area of social development,
in psycho/emotional/behavioral patterns’ areas,
current functioning in the cognitive, auditory perceptual, visual motor & academic areas.

23. Modalities means:whether the prominent
Look for a particular physical or psychological symptom which stands out as a hallmark.
Check for symptom aggravation or amelioration relating to different modalities.
Modalities means:whether the prominent
symptoms get aggravated or ameliorated
by heat or cold, when body is covered or exposed, by rest or movement,
by soft touch or hard touch on the body,
by rest or by movement, while sitting, standing or lying down, in different seasons, during day or night, at a.m. or at p.m.

24. How Homeopathic Medicines are developed?
They are developed not by testing on animals but by testing on healthy humans, recording their responses and compiling them into ‘materia medicas’
These medicines are derived from all the three kingdoms, namely plant, animal and mineral.
Some of them are made even from poisons (arsenic), snake venom (lacheses), toxic compounds like toad stool (bufa rana), chicken pox virus (varicella) etc.
In spite of the above fact, these medicines are not poisonous, toxic or sickening due to the homeopathic process of diluting them to decimal, centesimal, millennial or even infinitesimal potencies leaving no molecular element of the original substance in it.

25. Difference of vaccines and homeopathic Rx.:
Vaccines are administered when a person is well
whereas homeo Rx. is given when the person is ill.
Vaccines help the immune system to produce anti bodies for fighting against future invasions by the same nature virus as contained in the vaccine while
homeo Rx. fights against the same disease factor with a more powerful (potentized) form of the same disease but without any molecular element of the disease virus in it. (only the disease code is there)
Vaccines are administered as preventives while
homeo Rx. is given as treatment for the illness at hand.

26. Symptom pictures of few homeopathic remedies used for children with AD/HD diagnosis:
1. Lycopodium Clavatum:(club moss) They were cowardly with feelings of insecurity and fear which they covered up with tendency to boss others around, esp. younger children. They often assumed the role of class clown, they tend to be very distractible and some of them were dyslexic, they were reluctant to try any new things. They were candy cravers with tendency for hypoglycemia.

27. 2. Tarentula Hispanica (Spanish Spider)
Their hallmark was ‘rhythmic movements’- They were very active, climbing, jumping, restlessness resembling Spider) behavior. They loved music and rhythmic activities like dancing, tapping, or drumming which soothed them.
They were cunning, mischievous and played tricks on parents, teachers and other children, telling lies, and loving to hide, very hurried and impatient, often very destructive needing to watch them always very closely.They were capable of breaking anything they got their hands on. They were extremely impulsive and distractible. Twitching and jerking of the muscles were common symptoms. They were often attracted to bright colors.

28. 3. Cina (worm seed)
‘Cross’ may be said as the middle name for those children. Most irritable of children for no good reason. They did not seem to know what they really wanted and rejected whatever was given to them. They reject even ‘choices’ because they did not know whether they wanted anything in the first place. As babies although they wanted to be rocked, they did not like to be carried (except on shoulders), touched or even looked at (mad and asking others, “what you looking?”). They pinched, kicked, and hit out of irritability and contradiction. They often picked or bored into their ears, scratched their bottoms, and ground their teeth in sleep. Some such cases even had fits.
Their main characteristic was extremely disturbed sleep with nightmares or terrors with shrieking. They were a mixture of extreme fear and violence. They had constant terror feeling of being in a dark jungle surrounded by

29. 4. Stramonium (thorn apple)
Main characteristic : extremely disturbed sleep with nightmares or terrors with shrieking.
Their nature is a mixture of fear and violence. They had constant terror feeling of being in a dark jungle surrounded by wild animals who might attack any moment. Response is not flight but fight.
They often became violent when provoked.
They exhibited fear of animals, water and violent death. Stammering, cursing and jealousy were common behaviors. A traumatic event like a violent abuse or birth trauma might be traced in some.

30. They were absolutely selfish and egocentric.
5. Androctonos (Scorpion)
Scorpion lives under rocks in the deserts or tropicaol places and stings its prey to death by sudden attacks.
These children lacked a conscience and compassion for the suffering of others. They were extremely violent, ready to hurt or even to murder others if they were provoked.
They were loners and liked to be alone, removed from the demands of the society, as though were desiring to live in a small hole in the rocks.
They were absolutely selfish and egocentric.
They were indifferent to pleasure or pain, to other persons’ opinion of them, and to any duties or responsibilities. They liked to live in self-imposed isolation.

31. 6. Bufo rana (toad)
The poisonous sweat from toad is used as a homeopathic medicine for slow, coarse children with particularly strong interest in sex and masturbation.
Their comprehension was very poor. They had dull look on their faces with thick lips, which they would lap with their tongue.
They relied mainly on basic instincts and instant gratification. Music or bright objects were intolerable to them.
They had a particular aversion for being misunderstood. Different types of seizures were common with them

32. Some of them were delayed in their physical growth and maturity.
7. Baryta carbonica (Barium carbonate)
Dependence on others for everything. Unable to do anything without help. Passive, indecisive, I.Q. usually in deficient range. Adaptive behavior scale scores very low.
Social characteristics involved hiding behind their mothers or under furniture in the presence of strangers.
They were timid to try anything new. Lacked self-confidence and liked to keep things simple.
Some of them were delayed in their physical growth and maturity.
A prominent physical symptom was chronic tonsilitis and adenoid inflammation.

33. 8. Natrum Sulphuricum (sodium sulphate)
These kids were prone to depression primarily from being criticized by friends or family or from simple existential anxiety. They constantly thought or felt, “nobody likes me”.
These children felt bad about themselves all their lives. Because of that they isolate themselves and contemplate even suicide.
Their sadness was made worse by music.
Most of these children were subdued or with a dormant wild side. As teenagers they tended to experiment with smoking, alcohol or drugs.
Physical symptoms included asthma and warts.

34. 9. Crotalus Cascavella (rattle snake)
This medicine is from the rattle snake venom. Children who needed this felt
that someone was behind them or heard foot steps following them. They had a
characteristic fear of being alone and of spirits, ghosts and snakes. They sometimes
had fear of hairy spiders. Intense, animated, hurried, restless and talkative, they
could strike out at others in a fit of rage. A characteristic physical symptom was
hives, usually in one part of the body, with prominence for right-sided symptoms

35. They were extremely needy, whiny and impatient.
10. Arsenicum Album (Arsenic)
These children were extremely restless due to feelings of insecurity and inadequacy associated with lot of anxiety about their health and often fearing death.
They also exhibited great concern about germs and contamination and great terror of being left alone.
These children were more anxious and adult-like than a child should be at his/her age.
They were extremely needy, whiny and impatient.
Their common physical ailments included burning pains, asthma, diarrhea and stomach aches.
Physical signs include also some unhealthy skin conditions.

36. 11. Hyoscyamus (Henbane)
Matched the profile of children who were chronic attention seekers. If they did not get it by positive behavior, by all means they sought for it by negative behaviors by being excessively silly, joking inappropriately, showing off, talking too much, swearing, throwing tantrums etc.
They played the “kick me, kiss me” (If you don’t kiss me, I want you to kick me) game a lot.
Jealousy was another problem especially at the birth of a younger sibling.
Some of these children were precocious and liked to masturbate in public, run around naked or expose themselves. A persistent complaint was bed wetting.

37. 12. Anacardium Orientale (marking nut)
Such a child is like both an angel as well a little devil locked in the same person.
Such a child can be sometimes the most charming, obedient, decent, enthusiastic, outgoing, sensitive – in short with all the positive qualities we can think of a child – at other times s/he is the opposite of all the above as if s/he has no conscience or super ego, amoral, cheating, lying, stealing, arguing, cunning, malicious, striking out on other children and quarrelsome, cursing or using abusive language towards parents, teachers, peers and so on – with all possible negative qualities.
The personality of such a child may be depicted to that of a person who has classical ‘demon possession’.

38. Homeopathy for Healing Autism
Homeopathically prepared Human Growth Factors are the latest breakthrough medicines for AD/HD & Autism.
In Autistic children their Immune, Nervous and Hormonal systems are not intercommunicating appropriately.
This is because in Autistic children the above systems are either damaged or deteriorating.
The lympic system and the cerebellum in the brain are responsible for emotions, primitive sense of reality, self non-self discrimination, memory, speech and ability to process information. Hypothalamus regulates appetite and the hormonal system handles the overall gut functions.
HGH or IGF-1 have specific receptive sites in the lympic system and cerebellum, PDGF (platalet derived g.f.) is specific for memory and communication and FGF (fibro-blast g.f.) helps neuronal repair by brain nutrients flow.

39. These new line of Homeopathic formulas made from the human growth hormones and factors are called CSEs (Cell Signal Enhancers).
They are generated by recombinent technology. By this technology the scientists working under FDA certified labs duplicate the materials our body creates naturally.
CSE formulas are made by homeopathically diluting and potentizing the HGH, IGF-1, PDGF and FGF.
A good protocol is CSE 14 & 15 for 3 months, CSE 12 for 2 months and CSE 16 for a month.
The firm that produces CSEs is called Biomed and it assures 100% bio-availability and safety from contamination for CSE products.

40. Concluding Remarks:
Although Homeopathy is the best known alternative to stimulant medications, those who want to pursue that path should bear in mind the following:
Since homeopathic treatment is very different from the conventional one, there is nothing wrong in being skeptical about it and is a good idea to ask the homeopath about the procedures and the odds of getting better by the treatment.
Homeopath will not only be targeting the symptoms of AD/HD, but also the overall psycho-emotional & behavioral issues of the child together with physicals
Homeopathy postulates that the bio-chemical imbalance which is responsible for AD/HD is a result of an overall imbalance & the right constitutional Rx. can correct it.

41. Biomed. is conducting pilot studies which show that CSE formulas can correct most of the damages in the nervous, immune and hormonal systems responsible for Autism spectrum disorders.
Initial consultation with homeopath can last an hour or more while the follow-up sessions can be shorter.
Usually homeo treatment is for less than 1 year period.
Visits are biweekly, monthly, bimonthly or even longer.
No known side effects or addictive tendency is reported.
Make sure the homeopath has training & credentials in classical homeopathy and the medicine selection is based on an in-depth clinical interview rather than use of gadgets, muscle testing or even computer programs.
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