Call to protest article on treating children with homeopathy

Skepticism Junk Science and Alternative Medicine
1

In the February 2010 issue of Your Baby magazine, there is an article about using homeopathy to treat babies and children for various ailments. Now, while I have nothing against informed adults dabbling in a bit of woo to make themselves feel better, I am strongly against homeopathy being used to treat babies, children and animals.

I am writing a letter to protest their article and would like Skeptic S A members to write to the magazine as well to tell them exactly how homeopathy works and why it is wrong to use it as an alternative remedy in children.

I have tried to find a copy of the article online, without any luck. If you can get hold of a copy, or read it while standing in a queue, you will see that the article is pro homeopathy. The writer of the article does try to present a balanced article but fails by interviewing a paediatrician who works with, and supports, homeopaths…

" ...A lot of people say that homeopathy takes time. Well, many illnesses are resolved by time anyway. It is part of my training to want to see trials, to know how much of what is happening in the patient taking homeopathic remedies can be assigned to the placebo effect and how much to actual physiological intervention." Yet **** works closely with a small group of homeopaths and has come to trust and respect their judgements and methods. "It would be foolish of me to claim that Western medicine provides all the answers to all health problems, so I keep an open mind. I find the homeopaths I work with to be very astute and observant, often picking up on small problems. I work very well with these doctors and have seen some fantastic results in my own patients because of homeopathic intervention. The danger is a parent who believes so thoroughly in it, that he or she does not take other steps when a child is in danger. You're not going to take your child to a homeopath when he or she's been in an accident, for instance, or has meningitis symptoms. A serious asthma attack could result in death. When it comes to the safety and well being of your child, you cannot respond only in an emotional, principled way against mainstream medicine; you have to do what's best for your child.In order to do this, it is critical that you are informed and that you do your research. But if you do your own research, especially via the internet, make sure you read peer-reviewed articles and check out the cross referrals."

The homeopath in the article says that there are “tons” of credible research articles on the internet about homeopathy.

mdg

2

An acquaintance of our family had an extreme allergic baby who suffered from severe asthma. They “believed” that homeopathy were the only “natural” way to cure the kid. Now 5-6 years later, the poor child still suffers and they have exceeded their medical plan by almost R20 000 every year since then! Perhaps they still wait for a miracle ::slight_smile:

Could it be that the child was and still do not have the capabilities to understand that a sugar solution CAN cure ones body? ::slight_smile:

How much does a parent value their child’s life, if they are prepared to risk it for so many years, not even considering the fact that the treatment has zero effect on the child? Would they
only open their eyes, when it is perhaps …to late :frowning:

3

Done, thanks for the heads-up.

'Luthon64

4

Anyone else ever feel that evil streak that likes to just stand back, remove the warning labels, and let the problem take care of itself?

Hey, stupid enough to get your cancer treated by accupuncture and homeopathy? HAVE AT IT! >:D

Yes yes, it’s a bit extreme to apply this to the innocent spawn of these morons. But then, strangely appealing…

5
Done, thanks for the heads-up.

Thank you,Mefiante, the more complaints they get the better.

It’s one thing to bitch about it on a forum, it’s quite another to stand up and try and do something about it. So come on, guys (non gender specific), please write in and do your bit to stop the spread of WOO. :wink:

mdg

6

ah, fark, you touched a nerve here, my mother was convinced by some idiot fundy relative to NOT have chemotherapy for her breastcancer but to use some other crap homeopathic medication at the cost of R3000 a month - they have no medical aid, no income and stays with me in a granny cottage. She is devastated that I refused to pay for it. The blowdown came down to this: go for the chemo or die. It is the worst thing to have ever transpire between me and my mom.

I’ll lodge my letter of complaint.

7
The blowdown came down to this: go for the chemo or die. It is the worst thing to have ever transpire between me and my mom.

The truth hurts. I’ll be honest and state, once again, that I don’t even have the balls to face my family over religion. So… pinch of salt.