homeopathy treatment on private or nhs

[forgetandforgive]

Hi. Has been a long time since ive posted here. My son 11 has severe eczema and just recently his dermatologist prescribed him 2 months of antibiotics and oral Steriods as a form of treatment. He has had many infections for the past years and Im concern that too many antibiotics and Steriods is harming his body. Id like to know if anyone has any experience with homeopathy treatment for eczema, if so would it be covered by the nhs. We live in the london borough of bexley. Ive been googling and is thinking about taking him to see one. However, I would love to know if there are clinics or hospital which specialised in this field.

[Mrsmorton]

You can get homeopathic treatment for free out of the tap in your kitchen.

[Solasum]

Has he been seen by a paediatric allergy clinic as well as a dermatologist? A lot of eczema is triggered by allergies, and you have to eliminate the trigger. If not, push for a referral

[IHeartKingThistle]

Homoeopathy is not medicine - have you researched it? It's placebo at best.

I have a son who has had severe eczema. I know steroids are frightening. My GP (a parent of children with eczema herself) told me not to fart around and to give my child the treatment he needed because spending months and years trying to get it under control with less effective treatments would cause more damage and suffering.

I hope your DS improves, it's truly an awful condition.

[Northernlurker]

Homeopathy will not help. It's pseudo-science. Give your child the medically indicated treatments his extremely well qualified doctor has prescribed.

[LeChien]

Don't stop the treatment your gp has prescribed.
Would you consider acupuncture? I've had great success for asthma and eczema with acupuncture. I've also had homeopathy (out of desperation) and it did bugger all.

[WinterOfOurDiscountTents15]

Homeopathy is either plain water or sugar pills. It contains no medicine, no plants, no substances that can have any effect on one human body. It can do nothing for eczema whatsoever.
If the drs have prescribed antibiotics and steroids thats probably what your child needs.

[CalmYoBadSelf]

The scientific evidence does not show any benefits for homeopathy and I don't think you can get it on the NHS.

I have a friend whose son was really badly affected by eczema and allergies which did not respond to the prescribed treatments from specialists. She took him to a homeopath and he improved very quickly from then. However there will be someone along on a minute to state that the plural of anecdote is not data, it was probably a delayed response to the steroids and everything else he had previously and generally rubbish that

I would say go with the recommended treatments and then decide if it worth seeing a homeopath

[forgetandforgive]

Thank you for all your replys. He is currently under the care of his dermatologist and he has also seen an allergy clinic. I realized the side effects of antibiotics out weighs the pain his conditions cause him. Ds is so good with moisturizing if he forgets ill do it for him. He is more environmental related rather then food. But after years of strong Steriods for whole body his eczema doesn't seem to have the slightest effect. Poor thing is like a flaky machine not a day when his skin is looking good. Skin is just flaking off his body, red and dry. ds tried different moisturiser and cream in the past but the one he uses now is diprobase ointment. I just felt there was other options because he has been going to the dermatologist for the past 2 years but he is still suffering with infections and I would hope to have see some improvement as time goes by.

[HirplesWithHaggis]

ghh.info/welcome.htm

An NHS homeopathic hospital - but it's in Glasgow, I don't know how you'd get a referral.

I also think homeopathy is bollox, but had the enormous good fortune to have Dr Bob Leckridge (who works in this hospital) as my family GP when my dc were small. He did suggest homeopathy for ds1's horrible infant eczema, but when it didn't work (surprise, surprise!) was happy to prescribe more conventional treatments. He is probably the kindest, gentlest man I have ever met, I still have a little crush on him though I haven't seen him for 20 years!

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

Bizarrely homeopathy is funded on the NHS. There is a homeopathic hospital in London. It is however, a placebo. The placebo effect can be very powerful though. I think it's nonsense. Many things can affect eczema. Stick with it.

[DougalTheCheshireCat]

Sorry to hear your son is having such a hard time FF.

I've seen a homeopath regularly with my DD (now two) and find it helpful. I am aware of the views / studies that it is nothing but a placebo. however, there are also views / studies that show the power of the placebo (there's a recent BBC documentary looking at the Harvard research medics studying the placebo effect).

I also think that there is a difference between good research evidence which proves something does not work, areas where there is a lack of good research evidence (see recent Jenette Winterston article on fasting www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jul/11/jeanette-winterson-why-i-fasted-11-days quote from Dr Andreas Michalson 'If I had been studying a new drug and got these results, I would be getting phone calls every day. It is very easy for critics to say there are not enough studies when we know there is no funding for these studies.'

There is plenty of funding for drug studies, obviously.

For me, I am open minded on whether homeopathy 'works' directly. I certainly think there are many things in our work that cannot, or we have not yet understood how to measure and quantify. My personal experience is that I have found it helpful, but mostly to address combined emotional / stress and physical situations.

More important, my sessions with her give me a chance to reflect on our lives and explore and understand what needs to change to make things better.

For example, I have gained understanding of and confidence to trust our bodies own natural immune responses. DD, now two, has only had antibiotics once in her life, despite being prone to chest infections. Yes, her temperature goes high, but I stay with her, feed her, support her while that temperature kills the infection (that's its purpose), it comes down quickly on its own. 'Controlling' a temperature with paracetamol just makes it harder for the body's immune system to fight infection on its own. I always consult a doctor early to check it is a minor / normal infection (ie not meningitis) and supervise her closely.

She had recurring thrush, which I treated the first time with the medical / big pharma offer (canesten) but of course it returned. I worked out through research how to support my DD's body to deal with it herself (grapefruit seed extract spray - I make my own, and coconut oil with 10% tea tree and lavender oil instead of commercial nappy creams). It has never come back (over a year now) and she is nappy rash free.

Personally, I started learning about alternative approaches when I had debilitating IBS in my early twenties, with related acne. I now have a very happy digestive system through homeopathy, accupuncutre, diet and lifestyle changes. My skin is also great.

It sounds like you have given the medical approach for your son a serious go. Two years is a long time. Maybe it is time to stand back and take a more holistic view. As I understand it, the kind of eczema you describe is an expression of crisis in the immune system. Antibiotics, and multiple courses of antibiotics will certainly be driving that. have a look at this article, also from the Guardian www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/may/18/truth-about-poo-doing-it-wrong-giulia-enders-squatting about the work of a medical macrobiologist 'Our bacteria fight pathogens, are involved in blood-group development, digest our food, extract energy, produce hormones and can affect our mood. This gut/brain connection is a fairly new area of medicine, which Enders is very excited about'.

Homeopathy might be the start of a different approach for you and your son. You also might want to talk to a nutritionist. I would guess that a good (really good, not just a yakult thing) probiotic might well help your son's gut flora start to recover.

I've also found acupuncture to be incredibly powerful (which I think, has been 'proved' to be effective). Any of these approaches are a good place to start. Someone good will likely make further suggestions after they've taken a comprehensive look at what is going on for your son, and you.

Good luck

[DougalTheCheshireCat]

Edit: I certainly think there are many things in our world that cannot, or we have not yet understood how to, measure and quantify.

[WinterOfOurDiscountTents15]

That may be so, but Homeopathy is not one of them. The only effect it is possible to have us placebo.

[CoteDAzur]

"I realized the side effects of antibiotics out weighs the pain his conditions cause him."

Is that your medical opinion?

What "side effects of antibiotics" are you referring to? I'm assuming your DS takes B vitamins and probiotics when he is prescribed antibiotics, so he doesn't suffer from diarrhoea.

Homeopathy works about as well as prayer. Both are placebo. Study after study after meta-analysis after meta-analysis have shown that homeopathy doesn't work better than placebo.

It doesn't even make sense. Solutions don't become more potent the more you dilute them and anyone who has had a single hour's formal education in chemistry knows this.

[forgetandforgive]

His dermatologist never mentioned about probiotics but I researched it on the internet cote. But I think nothing vitamins oor probiotics will help while ds is still on antibiotics. But will continue with it once he finished his
courses. 3 more weeks left.
It is hopeful to hear about some of your
success story Dougal. I also use
coconut on parts of his skin but I will now add some tee tree oil as well. The reason I think homeopathy will will Iis simply because ive did some googling and I believe that eczema had some kind of connection with his immune system and stress. Ds suffers from constipation eventhough he eats a healthy balanced diet. So I feel that his eczema is not just skin deep its more sbout the inside.
Thanks for the site Dougal. I will look at it once I finished my post. Like you, im also open minded and is willing to give it a try because my ds is struggling with his eczema and this affects the whole family mentally and physically.

[CoteDAzur]

"The reason I think homeopathy will will Iis simply because ive did some googling and I believe that eczema had some kind of connection with his immune system and stress."

Let's assume for a minute that you have found something through Googling that your son's doctor who has actually been to medical school and practiced for years has completely missed.

Do you not understand that homeopathy doesn't work?

What little "effect" it has is psychological - thinking it will work so feeling a little better for it. It has no active substances, none whatsoever. it doesn't work and can't work. Whether or not your son's eczema is triggered by stress or whatever has no bearing on the plain and utter truth that homeopathy is as worthless a treatment as wishing on a star.

[UrethraFranklin1]

Homeopathy cant help the immune system or stress either.

Do you understand that a homeopathic medicine doesnt contain any active ingredients of any kind? The liquid ones are just WATER, the pills are just SUGAR.

[IHeartKingThistle]

There is not a tiny chance I would put tea tree oil on my child's eczema.

[forgetandforgive]

Looks like I should not have my hopes up with holistic medicine. Wasn't aware it was made from sugar and water. But I noticed that his eczema isnt responding well to the treatment he's receiving. It might work for some so I just hope with time his flaky/red and scaly eczema will slowly clear away. Ds still continue with his treatment at the dermatologist but I can't help but feel worried because it clearly hasn't make any difference eventhough he is still currently on antibiotics and oral steriods!

[Mrsmorton]

Holistic isn't the same as homeopathic. Or herbal. Perhaps you should really thoroughly research these before making a decision? Holistic means not taking a symptom in isolation, eg skin and bowel problems may be related.

[villainousbroodmare]

Did you know that DEFRA banned the use of homeopathy in animals in the UK in 2011 as it is unethical to use sham treatment in creatures who have no choices in their own healthcare?

[Ruralninja]

strongly recommend you save your money and effort for other options. as an eczema sufferer myself, I can heartily recommend Aveeno creams and look into testing his vitamin d status.

[forgetandforgive]

Mrsmorton, I was meant to say homeopathy treatment. I have already booked a private appointment for ds to have a test by sticking things on parts of his body eg pulse and the results should show his toxic levels and other deficiencies. It is a organic phamacies company and Im willing to give it a try because I don't want him to suffer anymore!

[SunshineAndShadows]

villanois that's not true sadly veterinary homeopaths exist

OP I second not wasting your time with homeopathy but def look into acupuncture - it can be excellent for chronic skin conditions

[bumpertobumper]

it seems that you might be saying homeopathy to mean complementary or alternative medicine.
homeopathy is a specific system where minuscule doses of poison, which lead to the same symptom which you are suffering from, are used to treat illness - like to treat like ie homeo-pathy As many have said, there is no scientific evidence for this being effective beyond placebo.

There are many other complementary medicines which have more proof and science behind them. Herbal treatments, holistic whole body analysis and treatment which usually involves herbs, supplements and diet; or others such as acupuncture etc.
With these things it is important to find a properly trained practitioner - check qualifications as some have studied and know their stuff, others are on the blag...
Good luck, hope you find something to help your son.