Clinical evaluation of
homoeopathic medicines in behavioural problems of mentally retarded children
Objectives: The objectives of the
study were to identify a group of most effective homoeopathic medicines in the
treatment of behavioural problems found in mentally retarded children and to
identify their reliable indications, most useful potencies, frequency of administration
and relationship with other medicines.
Methods: This study was
undertaken by Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, at its Central
Research Institute (H), Kottayam (Kerala) from 1991 to 2001, on 865 children who
were attending special schools for the mentally retarded children, out of which
30 children dropped out from the study. A detailed past, family, psychiatric
and personal history of the children were recorded in more than one interview
with the parents. From the case history, the symptoms were carefully analyzed
and evaluated for determining the prescribing totality and the similimum.
Routine laboratory examinations were carried out to assess the general health
of the children.
Results: Eight hundred and
thirty five children were followed up, out of which 531 children showed
improvement in common behavioural problems in mentally retarded children like
aggressiveness, destructiveness, disruptiveness etc, whereas 304 children did
not improve. Medicines found effective were Antimonium crudum (n=5), Argentum
nitricum (n=6), Arsenicum album (n=14), Baryta carbonicum (n=74), Baryta
muriaticum (n=31), Belladonna (n=43), Cannabis indica (n=8), Causticum (n=46),
Chamomilla (n=31), Cina (n=36), Cuprum
metallicum (n=49), Gelsemium (n=12), Hyoscyamus (n=26), Kali bromatum
(n=7), Medorrhinum (n=4), Mercurius solubilis (n=50), Natrum muriaticum (n=6), Opium (n=4), Phosphorus
(n=25), Pulsatilla (n=26), Silicea (n=4), Staphisagria (n=5), Stramonium
(n=23), Sulphur (n=30), Syphilinum (n=5), Tarentula hispanica (n=36),
Tuberculinum (n=56) and Veratrum album (n=3). In hyperactive children,
Belladonna, Sulphur, Tarantula hispanica and Tuberculinum, in aggressive
children, Belladonna, Hyoscyamus and Tarantula hispanica, and in dull, backward
and shy children Baryta carb., Baryta mur., Opium and Pulsatilla were found
more effective.
Conclusion: The objectives to
identify the most effective medicines and their reliable indications have been
achieved. However, the other objectives, which include relationship between
different medicines, could not be achieved.
Keywords: homoeopathy; mental
retardation; behavioural problems.
M.S.Pramanick, R. Shaw, V.
A.Balachandran, T.N.S.Kurup, E.C.Thomas, T.Vasanthiamma, B.Indra, Joseph Thomas,D.M.Rao,
P.S.Sivdas, Anil Kumar Vicihtra,
P.G. Mohanan,
K.R.Janardanan Nair, S.Gopinathan, P. Paul
Sumithran,A.K.N.Singh,K.C.Muraleedharan, R.V.R.Prasad, B.S.J.Raja Kumar.
Central Research
Institute, Kottayam, Kerala.
.