It was a mere thirty seconds past midnight and my child was gasping for air, wheezing and choking on his cough. I knew what this meant. If this didn’t stop within minutes I’d find myself dialing a number I never want to call. I can hear Mrs. Rochel Vail’s voice ringing in my head with the echoes of high school CPR drill, “718-387-1750…”
“No. I got this,” I tell myself and I gently approach my nine-year-old’s bed.
“Schneur,” I whispered to him, “would you like some water?”
“No,” he barely managed to mutter back between coughing fits.
I knew my next question and he certainly knew it too. “Would you like a remedy?”
The answer came immediately, “Yes, ma.”
I quickly grabbed the homeopathic remedy I had prepared at his bedside as a precaution before he went to sleep. There was no wheezing just hours before, and his rapid breathing was no emergency when he had turned out his lamp (confirmed with a call to the doctor). But in just hours, his head was burning with fever, the coughing wouldn’t stop, the wheezing could not be ignored and his breathing was distressed.
SPONGIA. One tiny white pellet under his tongue. Followed by a water dose (a sip of water that another pellet was dissolved in) just a few minutes later and then repeated with some googling in between to be one hundred percent confident that I got the right remedy.
The search results never fail to amaze me: Constriction of the larynx, worse at midnight, or during sleep with suffocative feelings and anxiety. Respiratory: great dryness of all air-passages. Heart: rapid and violent palpitation, with difficult or labored breathing; cannot lie down; also feels best resting in horizontal position. Awakened suddenly after midnight with pain and suffocation. Sleep: awakes in a fright, and feels as if suffocating. Fever: attacks of heat with anxiety; heat and redness of face and perspiration…
The remedy choice was confirmed to be an exact match rather quickly — not by the descriptions on my screen but by the silence and calm that now filled the room. The coughing stopped completely. His breathing eased up, the wheezing was gone. And just like that, he gratefully drifted right back to sleep before I could even poke the straw through his lips for the intended fourth and final dose.
I set a thirty-second timer and counted his breaths to measure his heart rate per minute. Normal! We were in the clear. Thank you Hashem for the gift of homeopathy – a feeling of immense gratitude I’ve felt countless times before on treating my children.
Every mother knows the pain of seeing her child feeling dreadfully sick, the fear of landing in the emergency room in the middle of the night, the limited conventional solutions to bring immediate healing, and the frustration in feeling so helpless. Homeopathy changed that for me.
I’m no homeopath. And like many who are influenced by the pharmaceutical industry, I was skeptical for years about the ability of a little homeopathic sugar pellet to bring healing. That was until I literally saw its remarkable healing powers with my very own eyes. Healing potential that sits right behind my cabinet doors. Healing that Hashem channels through me to bring to my child.
By our very nature, mothers are nurturers and healers. We are called on to be medicine women for our families, and Hashem has given us the tools to do so from our kitchens and gardens. Think back to your grandmother nursing a sick family member back to health with chicken soup — that’s nothing to sneeze at.
In today’s world, we are fortunate to have immediate and convenient access to medical professionals who offer critical, life-saving treatment. We appreciate the significant benefits of modern medicine and the relief it provides to those suffering from illness and disease. However, while conventional medicine is a necessary option, it is not the sole option for various physical and emotional conditions.
Like many mothers, I needed more tools to deal with viruses, illness, pain and discomforts and turned to homeopaths to begin exploring more. Homeopathic medicine offers effective and reliable healing, along with the convenience any busy mom would appreciate of being able to heal her children without an evening spent in a waiting room. And as an added benefit, think of the emotional connection and gratefulness that a child feels when being healed by his own mother, there’s simply nothing like it.
By now my kids come asking for remedies at the onset of anything. And I get the most endearing yiddish-written notes from my relieved children thanking me for knowing how to heal them with homeopathy – there’s nothing sweeter.
Think homeopathy isn’t for you? Think again. Homeopathy provides a cure for quite literally every ailment. So if you or your children are sick, you, too, can benefit from these powerful remedies.
Take this real-life example: It was the summer of 2021, and along with much of Crown Heights, my kids were plagued with the nasty impetigo blistering, crusted rash. The doctors shared that it had become so resistant to ointment that they had no choice but to dispense antibiotics as the only solution for it. I had very little experience with homeopathy at that point and was unaware that there was a remedy for literally everything, so I reluctantly agreed to antibiotics for two of my children.
But a few months later when I spotted an impetigo blister on my 1-year old’s arm, I reached out to a homeopath for help. Based on his exact symptoms including the location, color, oozing, crusting, sensation and many other details taken into account, they recommended RHUS TOX three times on the first day and then GRAPHITES to be given three times the next day. Wondering what it looked like after those forty-eight hours? It was gone. This was a stark contrast to the previous incidents that lasted weeks on end with very slow healing, even after taking antibiotics.
If anything could turn my husband into a believer of homeopathy, this was it. Looking at my son’s clear arm, the phrase “seeing is believing” took on new meaning.
Since then I’ve been using homeopathy consistently with full trust and respect for its ability to stimulate the body’s healing response. And still, each time a child is quickly (often within minutes) healed with homeopathy, I’m fascinated and overwhelmingly grateful all over again.
Interestingly, for over ten years I’ve had a homeopathy kit in my cabinet. And that’s where it stayed — on hand but hardly in use. Because I simply didn’t know the healing properties of each remedy and how to dose. And if you don’t know how to dose (or reach out to a homeopath for help) you’ll never witness the success of homeopathy which instantly converts any skeptic to a believer.
I grew up with homeopathy books lining my parents’ health and healing bookshelves and enjoyed interesting discussions about constitutional remedies as we analyzed the personality profiles described in the books. So I was certainly familiar but lacked the knowledge and confidence to use each remedy effectively. I dabbled with a remedy or two over the years and if I didn’t work, my assumption was that homeopathy doesn’t work, as I didn’t have enough experience to recognize that it simply wasn’t the right match.
So what changed? I started consulting with homeopaths for guidance on some challenges with my children, mostly emotional and behavioral. I watched molluscum disappear, a sleepless child finally sleeping through the night, an anxious child no longer falling apart when my husband and I stepped out at night. The remedies were exact and the healing was deep. I witnessed remarkable outcomes time and time again and this fueled my determination to delve deeper into homeopathy and commit to it as my first choice for non-emergency situations.
With that, I purchased a new homeopathy kit of the main 36 remedies for everyday ailments. But this kit was different. It came with the booklet I wish I had years ago: an index of symptoms/complaints with their corresponding remedies. The second half of the booklet held an index of each remedy in the kit and the ailments they treat.
This made homeopathy accessible and comprehensible. I now had a handy cheat sheet to learn more about each of these remedies and a reference to look up any complaint my child begged for relief from. Here’s a glimpse of all complaints this kit can heal: accidents, anxiety, assaults, bites, blisters, bloating, boils, breastfeeding difficulty, broken bones, bruises, burns, chickenpox, chilblains, colds, cold sores, colic, constipation, coughs, croup, cuts, cystitis, dental treatment, dehydration, diarrhea, earache, ear infections, exam nerves, eye inflammation, eye injuries, eye strain, exhaustion, food poisoning, flatulence, flu, fractures, gastric flu, hemorrhoids, hangovers, headaches, head injuries, high fevers, hives, injuries, inoculations, jet-lag, measles, menstrual problems, mouth ulcers, mumps, nosebleeds, nausea, labor pains, postnatal care, scalds, shock, sinusitis, sore throats, splinters, sprains, strains, stage fright, stiff neck, stings, styes, sunburn, sunstroke and wounds.
Of course this is just a starter kit for the remedies needed most often. There are actually thousands more, treating everything you can imagine – even emotional distresses such as fears, rumination, indignation, grief, worthlessness, homesickness, schoolitis, sensitivities and so much more.
I quickly learned that there’s a lot more to homeopathy than arnica. I’ve also learned that using homeopathy is not reserved for homeopaths. Sure, working with a homeopath to figure out the appropriate remedies can be incredibly beneficial and oftentimes necessary for emotional complaints, but with the right research and knowledge, mothers can feel empowered to “prescribe” on their own (in strengths up to 30c). This reality has been life changing for me.
So what do you need to know to get started with homeopathy? A lot. But let’s explore the basics.
When I was a child visiting our beloved community pediatrician, Dr. Feldman a”h, I remember him saying that there were two options to heal a cold: take medicine and it will go away within seven days. Or do nothing and it will go away within one week. But with homeopathy, a cold never needs to last seven days; you can nip it in the bud quickly, sometimes within minutes.
It’s important to know that in homeopathy there are numerous quick-acting remedies for every type of ailment, including various types of colds — there isn’t just one remedy. ALLIUM CEPA, made of onion, is one of many. Think of your body’s reaction when you cut an onion. Watery eyes and clear nasal discharge, does that sound right? Following the core premise of homeopathy where like cures like, that little pellet with a super diluted amount of onion instantly cured my child’s non-stop clear runny nose.
There are more than twenty other remedies for colds but this one was the closest match. And the closer you match physical symptoms and the emotional/mental picture of each remedy, the more likely it is that the remedy will work. If it doesn’t work it simply was not the right remedy. It takes some analytical thinking and basic problem solving — a skill we moms have honed through numerous experiences like figuring out who the Rubik’s cube really belongs to and how to retrieve the toy car from beneath the fridge.
Typically, people don’t share what remedy they used to heal their child’s illness as it’s very individual and nuanced based on the chief complaint (e.g. headache), accompanying symptoms (e.g. nausea), the sensation (e.g. pressure, pounding, throbbing, cutting, etc), the location (e.g. forehead, back of head), what happened just before (e.g. emotional upset, mental exertion) and what makes the patient feel better or worse (e.g. warmth or cold, lying or sitting). Still, in my quest to learn more about homeopathy I wanted to know what remedy matched other people’s ailments to help expand my knowledge. So I’m going to share real anecdotes with the remedies that have worked for me. But remember, the remedies mentioned are not an instruction, prescription, diagnosis or suggestion, These examples simply serve to expand your understanding of homeopathy and guide you from helpless-mom to healer-mom.
The winter is behind us but the stomach bug that invaded many of our homes is not forgotten. What does conventional medicine offer for gastric flu? Nothing I’ve seen other than instructions to stay hydrated (sometimes impossible) with the threat of an ER trip looming. ARSENICUM changes that, along with other powerful remedies based on specific associated symptoms. As I navigated through treating multiple family members with differing symptoms, I would often start by looking up ARSENICUM as a potential remedy. However, it didn’t always turn out to be the best fit. With one child it was SULPHUR that matched his emotional/mental picture precisely and included the physical symptoms he was experiencing, healing him fully within five hours. When nausea was the chief complaint for a little one, I explored IPECAC. And for my husband, who felt super weak and couldn’t lift his head from the couch (rare), one dose of GELSEMIUM had him up and off to work literally fifteen minutes later, feeling completely normal.
GELSEMIUM has another fundamental use. Most moms can earn a medal for supporting a child through the flu, because conventional medicine doesn’t offer much relief. When 75% of my son’s class was out with the flu for days on end, my son was one of the few who remained standing (er, sitting) in his classroom all week. One night, I observed the onset of flu-like symptoms that matched the profile of GELSEMIUM, which is considered the primary remedy for the flu. And as you can probably guess by now, the remedy acted quickly and my son didn’t miss a day of school. “Thank you, Hashem,” I whisper, yet again.
Let’s contrast healing methods with another example. What does conventional medicine offer for a cough? Mothers might feel helpful by mitigating the pain or administering some PFA (psychological first aid) with some honey and Ricolas. But what about eliminating the cough altogether?
It was Friday night and I was rocking the baby to sleep while my husband was in shul and some of my older ones were waiting patiently for me downstairs. The sound machine was deafening but not loud enough to drown out the sounds of my son’s persistent, hacking cough one flight down. My mom instincts told me to give honey and I tried that to no avail. The coughing would not let up. I moved to the next cabinet and pulled out one of my favorite remedies: ACONITE. This remedy is indicated “when a cough has come on suddenly—often from exposure to cold wind, or after a traumatic experience. The cough is likely to be sharp, short, dry, and constant.” There was no cold wind or traumatic experience but everything else was an exact match and my gut told me this was the right remedy.
I waited the necessary minimum ten minutes from the honey he just had (well, okay, I didn’t exactly wait the full ten minutes. The coughing was intense!). Being careful not to touch the pellet, I placed one in the cap and dropped it under his tongue. It was not even two minutes and the cough was gone. Entirely. Completely. Did not return. My children were watching and witnessing the indisputable healing that homeopathy brings and we all discussed it in fascination. We’ve seen it before, but it’s still magical each and every time.
ACONITE is likely the remedy used most often in our home. Recently, I was walking outside with my daughter when a dog jumped out at us. I squeezed my daughter’s hand tightly but, frightened, she ripped out of my grip to run the other way. As soon as we got home I gave her ACONITE 200c for the shock and panic. This wasn’t the first time Aconite has calmed our nerves. Literally. ACONITE 200c just before walking my child through the overwhelmingly intimidating operating room doors. ACONITE 200c for the shock and trauma when my son watched someone get hit by a car. ACONITE 30c on the way to a dentist appointment with my dentist-anxious child. ACONITE 30c when I kiss my laughing baby and his forehead feels just slightly warm on my lips. My thought used to be “Oh no, I’ll be home from work for the next three days.” Now I think, “So glad I caught that, I’ll be shocked if it’s still here in the morning.” And sure enough, it rarely disappoints. And if it does, it’s because it wasn’t the right remedy; the illness called for something else.
Perhaps the most impressive use of Aconite is when it comes to croup. I can’t be the only one who has dialed the doctor’s emergency number at night watching a child struggling to breathe through his coughing fits. The instructions are short and firm: “Go out in cold air and if it doesn’t help, call Hatzalah.” Thankfully, those calls are a thing of the past and I no longer fear or dread these croup attacks. Because I have the three main croup remedies on hand: ACONITE, HEPAR SULPH, and SPONGIA.
I would be remiss if I didn’t share that with every ten successes there are admittedly one or two times that I struggle to find the right remedy and I don’t see instant results. And at those moments I can hear my old skeptical thoughts tiptoeing toward my conscious mind: “Yeah, this doesn’t actually work.” But before I can hear that voice, I remind myself: Homeopathy works, I simply didn’t give the right remedy. And I pull out my books again so I’m not doing this on gut feeling but rather following a sometimes tedious but interesting process of matching symptoms. Typically, on the second or third try we’ll hit the right one, confirmed by the child running off, forgetting he was sick just ten minutes earlier.
Alternatively, if I start to feel discouraged that my remedy choices were proving not to be the perfect match, I message a homeopath for support. I love the independence and empowerment of being able to do this on my own, and at the same time, I appreciate having access to a homeopath who has more knowledge and experience than me. Like any new skill learned, it’s important to have a mentor or trusted homeopath to turn to for guidance, instruction and insight.
At times, I can’t help but feel envious of the profound expertise that homeopaths possess, and I am determined to gain the same level of knowledge and independence in using homeopathy. And while I continue to enjoy the satisfaction of my current career as creative director at my marketing business, where I have spent the past fifteen years, I’m pulled by my passion for homeopathy and healing. When I leave those office doors and I’m welcoming my children home from school, I want to feel empowered with the ability to heal their every ailment, fix every discomfort, and bring them relief on a very tangible level.
So for now, I’m keeping my day job, and pursuing my passion for homeopathy after hours. Or, sometimes, during hours (hey, you can’t stop a sore throat from making an entrance when it wants to).
As a mother, there’s simply nothing more empowering and gratifying than being able to heal your child, physically and emotionally. Homeopathy has given me that gift and I hope I’ve inspired you to explore and dabble in it, so you, too, can be the healer for your family.
Constitutional Remedies
The aim of homeopathy is to restore balance and harmony on all levels of being – physical, mental, and emotional so one can be truly free of limitations and return to a state of happiness and health. Here’s a glimpse into my personal experience treating my children homeopathically for chronic problems and emotional wellbeing.
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Beyond my gratitude to Hashem for everyday healing at my fingertips, my greatest fascination with homeopathy is when I can support a child’s mental and emotional health. I’m sometimes moved to tears watching the transformed behavior before my very eyes, relieved for the child that his struggles have lifted. Typically this requires dosing in 200c strength and above (1m, 10m) which is a respected strength that is best discussed with a homeopath during a thorough consultation discussing every symptom on all levels - mental, emotional and physical.
I first explored this when my highly sensitive child was having difficulty going to school every day. He simply could not gather the emotional energy it takes to face the overstimulating world each day and preferred to remain in the calm, peace and serenity of home. Through a two-hour discussion with a homeopath, it was determined that he matched the NATRUM MUR personality. The results were nothing short of remarkable.
Moving on to my restless, impulsive and daring little one, the TUBERCULINUM remedy read him like a book. Over the next several months my husband and I would constantly share joyous disbelief on seeing him settled on the floor engrossed in play (I’ll spare you the details on the scenes this blessed play replaced).
What about my blond-haired, blue-eyed baby who would panic and cry any time I moved from his side? It was so intense, I would sometimes choose to let supper burn rather than leave the rug to shut the fire which would instantly ignite the screams and tears. Something wasn’t right. I was already lining up for a psychological evaluation, deeply concerned (and just a little frayed) by his inability to regulate. PULSATILLA 200c transformed this child. He no longer wakes up crying, rarely clings to me and is the sweetest most gentle child now that the remedy has balanced him.
And when my HSP child was suddenly uncharacteristically angry for a few weeks with no apparent cause that we could pinpoint, I knew homeopathy could help. After a long discussion, a homeopath recommended NUX VOMICA 1m. The layer was lifted. I got my sweet child back. Two days of dosing, life-changing results.
In the current psychology age where therapy is often advised as the recommended option, homeopathy can sometimes be a far more accessible and effective solution. A constitutional remedy for a child is like the right soil and care for a plant, providing balance and enabling optimal health.