Constipation and Failure to Thrive: A Homeopathic Success Story

Aaron was only 10 months old when he visited the clinic, accompanied by his parents. Rhonda, (Aaron’s mother) made the appointment because of her son’s battle with constipation practically since birth. She is also concerned because though Aaron has a healthy appetite, he is losing instead of gaining weight. I assure Rhonda that homeopathic treatment can help her son’s health problems.

Aaron had colic as a newborn baby. He was gassy as a newborn baby, his stomach constantly gurgling. As a newborn he always needed to be held because he wasn’t comfortable. He would always arch his back in pain because though his belly was full of gas, most of the time he was unable to fart or burp to release it.

Now, at 10 months old, Aaron is now mostly on solid food and eats like a glutton, yet he is losing instead of gaining weight, since the age of 7 months. I tell Rhonda that perhaps Aaron is failing to absorb the nutrients in the food he eats due to an absorption problem.

After the introduction of solid food at 6 months, Aaron has had constipation. Rhonda has tried changing Aaron’s diet, adding more fruits and vegetables, experimenting with cutting out dairy and wheat, but dietary changes haven’t helped. The only thing that has helped are frequent servings of prunes. Rhonda recognizes that prunes are not a permanent solution to Aaron’s problem, and I explain to Rhonda that the administration of the correct homeopathic constitutional remedy will fix his constipation and weight problem.

What is a Constitutional Homeopathic Remedy?

Constitutional homeopathic remedies are prescribed by classical homeopaths. Although Naturopaths have some limited training in prescribing homeopathic remedies, only classical homeopaths have enough training (a full 4 years) to prescribe constitutionally. Constitutional homeopathic prescribing for chronic health complaints is extremely powerful and complex and must be regarded with the utmost respect. Homeopathic remedies are made from something in the natural world such as a plant, mineral or animal. Constitutional homeopathic remedies are given one at a time and never in combination. The remedies are prepared in such a way that they are non-toxic and gentle on the body. They stimulate the body to heal itself. Remedy selection is based on the homeopathic principle that “like cures like” – that is, a substance that would cause symptoms in a healthy person is used to cure those same symptoms in illness. For example, one homeopathic remedy which might be used in a person suffering from insomnia is coffea, a remedy made from coffee.

The Follow-up Consultations

6 weeks after the administration of the homeopathic constitutional remedy, noticeable improvement had taken place. Despite cutting down on the prunes, Aaron’s stool softened and he had much less straining during bowel movements. He has also stopped losing weight.

2 months after the first follow-up, Aaron continues to do well on his constitutional homeopathic remedy. His digestion and bowel movements are normal, and his body has filled out. He looks chubbier and he is gaining weight. Also, because constitutional homeopathy addresses the whole person, the remedy also got rid of Aaron’s patches of eczema. This result was obtained using only the correct constitutional homeopathic remedy without any dietary changes.