In our privileged society we might almost casually accept that many tiny babies have survived both the rigours of an Intensive Care Unit experience and the illness that necessitated it. Danielle was not yet a month old when meningitis catapulted her into the invasive diagnostic procedures and multiple drug treatments needed to save her life. She was subjected to an induced coma while she weathered this crisis and was eventually  discharged from hospital with diagnostic tests predicting little chance of a full recovery.

Her parents called upon help from both heaven and earth. Assistance was provided by a number of different modalities, but the goals were the same: to mitigate the effects of shock, to address any latent aftermath of the illness, and to support the brain and organs as they eliminated any residue of the life-saving drugs.

Homeopathic medicines can help support these goals. The first medicines prescribed for Danielle were for shock and fear of being harmed. A medicine was also chosen that matched her previous symptoms of skin rash and convulsions. Finally, medicines were given to help support the eliminative organs and help strengthen the constitution. These medicines were given at more frequent intervals during the first year following the illness and then gradually tapered off.

Danielle continued receiving other complementary treatments and, contrary to all expectations, her paediatrician confirmed that she was progressing normally through her developmental stages. Some years have now passed and Danielle’s parents report a loving, vibrant, trusting, capable child. She is not the only child in her class to wear reading glasses and not the only child who has benefitted from speech therapy. Not infrequently, brain trauma temporally disrupts the normal ‘brain-mapping’ processes that continually occur in the baby’s rapidly growing brain. Speech and sound therapies can help the child correctly map and articulate the sound nuances needed for language and reading.

This story illustrates the resilience and wonderful healing capacity of a baby — especially when heaven and earth conspire to help.

PAULINE KALBFELL, professional homeopath, WA