Deborah Olenev CCH RSHom (NA)
650-569-6219
I am a classical homeopath practicing in Mountain View, California. I work with clients all over the U.S. using Skype. I began my homeopathic education in 1982, and have been in private practice in the Bay Area since 1991. I treat people of all ages with classical homeopathy. I emphasize a healthy life style, nutrition and the importance of meditation as necessary adjuncts for optimum health.
Treating Children With Autism - Service Without Ego
I have been treating ASD children for about eleven years, and the experience has humbled me. There are a few families with ASD children who have stuck by me for an extended time with my classical homeopathic approach. We make progress, and changes happen that improves the lives of these children and their families. It is a slow, sometimes exhilarating, and sometimes frustrating process.
My method of working is to ask the parents to complete a questionnaire, which I review and use to create an analysis sheet with, and from which I begin the repertorization process. Actually I do materia medica searches on ReferenceWorks from Synergy Homeopathy. The reason I do this is that I can see what is actually said about each symptom. I do double check every remedy under each symptom that I look up.
My partner in my work is God, the Self, or the intuitive mind, (whatever you wish to name it), because I have found that it is impossible to practice homeopathy strictly at the level of the intellect. This is the first thing one realizes when learning about remedies—the therapeutic properties of the remedies bypass reason and logic. We are talking about the sacred when we are speaking about remedies, their healing properties, and the mysteries of human health.
So more important than developing analytical abilities, and a vast storehouse in one’s mind of materia medica, is spiritual development gained through meditation practice and introspection. I am an instrument of the divine power, which guides me in assisting the people attracted to me for homeopathic treatment. More precisely there is no separation between God, Myself, my clients and the remedies. At the deepest level we are all one.
Here is a case of a preteen autistic boy in process. I will present his analysis sheet, which summarizes his story, and gives the remedies and dates they were given. At the end I will present his last chart of symptoms, so you can see the progress of the case. Much has been accomplished and much is left to be done. I hope this will be helpful to other homeopaths, and people seeking help for their children.
How beautiful it is when people do not expect a miracle cure and come willing to work hard along with the homeopath, and feel gratitude for every little positive change. How wonderful when people are not attached to outcomes, but accept where their children are at in the moment with love and surrender. I am very privileged to know such extraordinary people. My heart swells with love for them. The parents of this boy are such people.
Here is the case starting with the analysis sheet.
Roland’s Analysis Sheet 9/21/15
Diagnosis: Autism. He is non-verbal but is a physical dynamo and in excellent physical shape. He is homeschooled.
Physical:
Very hyperactive: Roland prefers to be moving at all times and is very “heavy handed” with everything. He does not experience a downturn until right before bedtime. Even when he is sitting he is rocking. He would turn his music all the way up. He dances, he runs back and forth, runs around the house.
He has trouble holding a pencil but can manage a fork and spoon.
Perspiration: Depending on the activity he engages in is easy to sweat all over. Loves to be covered up with his heavy comforter when he is going to bed.
Sleep: Terrible sleep problems. He has no problem going to sleep; its staying asleep that is tough for him. Goes to sleep at 8:30 - 9:00 P.M. and wakes between 2:30 - 6:30 A.M. The earlier he wakes in the morning the more hyperactivity he expresses; almost manic.
Sensitive to loud noise
Dark circles at all times under his eyes.
Seasonal allergies were really bad when he was going to school. They were so bad that his eyes would swell. He had a lot of snorting. His throat and ears would itch tremendously.
Health History:
In the past, he suffered from allergies both seasonal and food (gluten, dairy). He had eczema basically from birth that just cleared up in April of 2014. Since going gluten and dairy free in 2013 he lost his bloated look and it calmed his emotions. He has always tippy walked in and out and it usually correlated with stomach discomfort. He has had a history of constipation.
Vaccinations: Roland was vaccinated up until 1 year of age.
Personal History:
“Roland was conceived a year after his sister was born. The pregnancy was totally unplanned, I was in poor health when I got pregnant with him. Worn out from little sleep, severe candida, depressed with marital problems. I was happy about the blessing but felt that it was too much of a physical burden for myself and to put on my husband. I held the energy of that the whole pregnancy and in turn I’m sure Roland felt unwanted from the start.” -Mom
“Looking at the situation now, it is easy for me to see how Roland is in this condition. He was conceived in depression. I was not happy at all in my life and career. Depressed that life was changing so quickly. I was no longer the center of my world. Immature and acting out, l let life get a hold on me and I took it out on my family. To this day, I still feel that my son’s condition is a result of me not being there for him when he needed me.” -Dad
Roland was distant from the time he was born. He did not like or feel attached to any of us with good reason. He would scream all day from 7:00 A.M. until he went to sleep at 7:00 P.M. He was in pain. He was so bloated and swollen. His head seemed very large.
He cried inconsolably for a year every day. After a year it seemed to fade and he looked well. He began to talk at one and a half years old but it faded by two years of age. He hit all his milestones physically.
Both mom and dad have developed a loving understanding relationship with Roland.
Mental/Emotional:
Very affectionate, always hugging and kissing.
Bites himself: He gets frustrated and bites himself on the wrist to show his anger. He bites himself and whines if he can’t get what he wants.
Bites his nails when he is nervous:
Moodiness: Roland is very moody, going from zero to hundred in 2 seconds. He gets angry usually around food. Angry to so affectionate. When he was a baby he was inconsolable and didn’t care to be close to us. Now he is super affectionate. He likes the hug, likes the deep pressure, he loves to be tickled, and will come sit with you and fall on you.
Fears: He has a fear of elevators, escalators. He gets really worried if dad walks out of the house. Dad says if there is something out of the routine, he gets really nervous and will bite his fingernails.
Fear trying new things: Raphael has a fear of trying new things but will warm up after seeing the activity.
Demanding, controlling and stubborn: He does not like to be told “No.” He doesn’t like to be told what to do. He does not like being told no. He will bite his wrist and whine.
Food obsession. Please see the food section below.
Clairvoyant: He has ESP, Telepathy. He is sympathetically telepathic. He can sense what anybody in the family is thinking and will pick up on all the energy in the house. From birth he expressed all the sadness and anger mixed with his own. He was a sponge and a channel for everything that was unsaid between his dad and mom. He does not talk but reads facial emotions very quickly and easily. He knows when you are happy. Some of his perceptions are so supernatural.
He is always loud and babbling.
Envious of the attention in the house: He gets envious of the attention in the house.
Whininess and Irritability: He has always been irritable. That is part of his personality. When he is not feeling good, he gets very whiny.
Comprehension lacking: Comprehension of the words is not there. We have done every test. hearing is fine, MRI is perfect, blood test is perfect.
Reading comprehension is also poor.
Nonverbal: He is still non verbal. He can say beginning sounds of things.
Modalities:
Weather: Rain amel; amel in nature, agg full moon.
Temperature: He is usually on the warm side because of his hyperactivity and depending on the activity he engages in is easy to sweat all over. Loves to be covered up with his heavy comforter when he is going to bed. Kicks his covers off during sleep but wakes to want them replaced. Head sweats at night.
Times of Day: Roland is hyperactive most of the day and does not experience a downturn until right before bedtime.
Morning aggravation: He has an unusually hard time in the morning upon 5 minutes after waking. He whines, bites himself, and sometimes cries. He does this every morning until he eats his breakfast.
Characteristics:
Roland has autism. He is non-verbal but is a physical dynamo. He is stronger and bigger (not obese) than most children his age and is a talented gymnast with exceptional balance and athleticism. He has excellent eye contact. He has an excellent memory. He can concentrate on something when he likes the activity.
Activities Enjoys:
Roland enjoys his Ipad, computer, horseback riding, and playing with water.
Food:
He eats according to the “Gaps Diet” and seems to digest the food very well. Does not have a problem with eating anything except fruit. He stuffs food in his mouth when he eats. Totally obsessed with food. We have to lock the pantry and he darts into the kitchen when anyone walks in there. He is like a bottomless pit. He loves eggs. Very thirsty which he is given water (he requests it always with ice) or tea.
Analysis
(This is where I put my thoughts down, and if I am studying a particular symptom, I will note the remedies that have the symptom. I am looking at some of the remedies with bites himself below).
Bites himself: Look at: Tarentula.
Syph has biting sensations, but not bites himself.
Stramonium has biting himself.
Sol-t-ae has biting. Very interesting remedy. It is Solanum tuberosum aergrotans. Diseased potato. Ask if he has ever had problems with the anus or rectum. It wakes with anxiety in the morning. Rises in the night imagining that there are thieves behind the curtain.. Craving oranges. Bites themselves, their hands.
Plumbum has biting himself.
Opium has biting himself. Good possibility. It has autism.
Medicines and Supplements:
He currently is not on any medication. He has taken homeopathy for a year and a half with another homeopath. Through homeopathy, some of Roland’s sensory issues have diminished. The subtle changes in his character has revealed such a sweet loving little boy. The nuances within the way autism has taken a hold of him have diminished. Roland has come a long way in a gentle manner with homeopathy. We have sadly come to a wall with our current homeopath. Because of this, we started to take Roland to an osteopath (4 appointments). We feel that he is blocked in some way.
Remedies prescribed by Deborah Olenev:
9/24/15 Medorrhinum 200C 8 pellets in 4 oz. of water. Drink 3 TBSP .
Response: his sleep became worse, biting himself became worse, food obsession increased, whininess and irritability worsened after initially being better for two weeks. There was some improvement in comprehension, and in the expanding of the range of things he was interested in. He was less envious of his sister, and nail biting lessened a little.
11/9/15 Plan wait and observe for four to five weeks.
1/11/16 Opium 200C 8 pellets in 4 oz. of water, drink 3 TBSP. Here is what I wrote to Roland’s parents about why I prescribed Opium:
Dear Parents,
The symptom of biting his arms stood out strongly from our conversation yesterday, so I focused on remedies that had this symptom in the way that you both described it and I came to a list of 14 remedies that had this symptom. The remedy I ended up with was Opium 200C. This remedy is listed for biting the arms, and is also mentioned for autism in one of my materia medicas for children. (Now I realize that I can substitute the word aphasia for autism in my materia medica searches).
Opium is listed for hyperactivity and is a huge remedy for constipation in children. It has the nightly aggravation, it can have voracious appetite, the babbling speech, and embarrassment. It has difficult comprehension issues. There is no remedy that sounds absolutely perfect, but I would like to see how far this remedy takes us.
2/15/16 Opium 200C 10s pellets in 6 oz. of water, drink 5 TBSP
4/22/16 Opium 1M 8 pellets in 4 oz. of water, 6 TBSP
7/20/16 Opium1M 8 pellets in 6 oz. of water, succuss 15 times, drink 6 TBSP
Roland’s Chart of Symptoms from 9/22/16:
Better (If three or four symptoms in the better category get worse for two to three weeks please call or send me an e-mail. It may be an indication that you are ready for a dose of the remedy).
The lump on the left side of his neck is gone.
Eczema on the right arm is gone.
Reading comprehension – he is flying through some of the things that were challenging for him before. He is really fast.
Dark circles under his eyes has gotten much better since he has been sleeping.
He puts himself to bed. He does wonderfully.
Demanding attention is not as much.
His whining is gone. The soul grating whining is gone.
Quickness to anger and frustration – you can tell that he is getting upset about something, but it is not as aggressive as before. He is not doing the wrist biting and running about.
Morning agg. This is still his worse time of day, but it is not as bad as it was. The mania in the morning has calmed down quite a bit.
Last week he was getting up at 2 and 3 a.m. four or five times. This was around the full moon. Outside of that maybe there will be once when he gets up in a two week period.
Biting arms has been less. The last time it was at 100%. It is now down to 25%.
Food obsession has calmed down a bit. He is still food obsessed. It is not as aggressive as it was. Before it was all kinds of foods. Now it is strictly sugar. He doesn’t eat candy, but he loves raisins.
The hyperactivity has calmed down. It was really bad the last time we talked at 100%. It is now at 50%.
Same (The symptoms in the same category usually start to get better by six months from when you took the remedy).
Trouble holding a pencil is the same.
Always loud babbling is the same.
No improvement in his language. If it is food related he can tell you what he wants. He can say the beginning of words, like for raisins it will be rai.
He gets embarrassed, because he is eleven, and he can’t speak.
He still bites his nails.
Summary
Roland has made many gains since he began treatment exactly one year ago. He has improved in almost all areas except language. It is possible that if we continue to work with Opium in ascending potencies that it will eventually help with this symptom, or if it doesn’t, I hope we will be guided to the next remedy for Roland.
Some hints on studying autism cases:
Use the word aphasia in addition to autism and mutism when looking for remedies. Aphasia means loss of ability to understand or express speech, caused by brain damage. There are 153 remedies listed for aphasia, but only 31 for autism, and 34 for mutism. By using the older word you get a much broader range of remedies.
Conclusion
What is the duty of the homeopath: Service without Ego. Show up, do the work, put in your best with love and kindness, let go of the outcome, and faith in a higher power. These are the ingredients to making a good homeopath.
Comment from parents
I made sure that the parents approved of the article, and this is what they said: “Hello Deborah! We are so grateful to have Roland featured in hopes that it helps others. The reality of going through Autism and what healing looks like is long and deep as the journey of the soul. You have made amazing progress with him and it is a blessing and honor to work with someone like you. My husband and I are overwhelmed with gratitude with the many kind words you wrote about us as parents. Not only have you helped Roland but you helped all of us grow into new spaces to become more of ourselves. On behalf of of our whole family, thank you so very much. “
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