For my son and I, actually finding out that there was such a thing as PANDAS was a journey in itself. But once the word entered our orbit, my next obvious question was… so how do we go about healing it?
Google searches had me believing it was an easy fix. A simple “take a few antibiotics and it’ll clear right up” sort of thing. I even read that 90% of PANDAS kids grow out of it. Sounds great, but here’s the thing: it’s just not that simple. Ask any parent of a PANDAS kid and they’ll tell you that even if the illness seemed to happen overnight, true healing generally doesn’t. (Unfortunately.) After reading tons of parents’ posts, speaking to functional doctors, and diving into all the different methods people use to treat this disease, I was honestly overwhelmed.
My takeaway was this: whenever a parent inside a group would ask, “What is the thing that brought real healing to your child?”... nearly every answer I saw included the word “homeopathy.” At that point, my ears perked up. I started doing research, and found a PANS/PANDAS homeopath pretty much ASAP.
Now, my goal in writing this post isn’t to help you treat or diagnose anything (remember, I’m a writer, not a doctor!)... BUT I do want to spread information that may help another parent who, like me, had…
1) Never heard of homeopathy before PANDAS and…
2) Was looking for a natural, gentle, non-invasive way to heal my child’s body
The entire premise of homeopathy is built around the belief that the body can heal itself—and in our year of homeopathy, we’ve definitely seen evidence of that. (My own body included.)
So if you’re new to PANDAS and you’re looking for alternative methods of healing… Or even if you keep hearing about PANDAS parents talk about homeopathy and finally Googled it just to see what it was…
Here’s my personal rundown of what it is, how it works, and our experience with it so far—the latter of which I’ll detail in a future post. Granted, homeopathy is a little confusing, so let’s start with what it ISN’T first.
What Is NOT Considered Homeopathy
Since many naturopaths practice homeopathy alongside other healing modalities, it’s easy to get confused on what’s actually homeopathy and what’s not.
Lots of people just assume it means something like “natural care.”
Homeopathy itself uses only incredibly diluted substances that are (usually) coated on tiny sugar pellets. So then, here are a few things homeopathy ISN’T:
Herbal Medicine—plant-based substances in their natural or nearly-natural form (e.g. echinacea for colds or St. John's wort for depression)
Nutritional Supplements—including vitamins, minerals, and other dietary supplements
Essential Oils and Aromatherapy
Acupuncture
Chiropractic Care
What Is Homeopathy?
So now that we know what homeopathy isn’t—let’s talk about what it is.
Basically, it all started with Samuel Hahnemann in 1790. In a time where some pretty barbaric methods were considered standard practice—things like bloodletting and purging—Hahnemann was searching for a gentler way to heal. And he stumbled upon a discovery.
While translating a medical text, he observed that cinchona bark, which was used to treat malaria, produced symptoms similar to malaria when given to a healthy person.
From this, he created the theory of “like cures like”... which basically stated that if something could CREATE a symptom in large doses, it could also CURE a symptom in small doses.
To his estimation, if a belladonna plant could cause (for example) dilated pupils and rage when taken in full force, it could also be the thing to take them away in small doses.
In his studies, he deduced that the body was actually predisposed to heal itself, and all it needed was a nudge in the right direction.
Don’t Eat Belladonna: How Hahnemann Discovered Dilution
As Hahnemann began to test his theory, he ran into a problem. At first, he gave the substances to his patients in their natural form. (I have no idea how he found these brave guinea pig people, but that’s beside the point.)
Of course, administering toxic substances in their purest form was a bad idea, and his patients saw lots of adverse effects.
However, once he began diluting them in alcohol or water, he noticed that the toxicity not only went down, but the beneficial effects seem to increase.
Eventually, he developed of method for preparation where he would dilute the substance with water, shake it, then take a portion of that mixture and dilute it in more water—over and over again.
Here’s a look at the technical side of creating potencies.
How a Homeopathic Remedy Is Made
Starting Material: The process begins with the original substance, called the mother tincture. This can be a plant, mineral, or animal product.
Initial Dilution: A small amount of the mother tincture is mixed with a larger volume of water or alcohol. The ratio of this mixture depends on the desired potency. For instance, in a 1:10 dilution (designated as "X" or "D" potency), one part of the mother tincture is mixed with nine parts of the solvent.
Succussion: After mixing, the solution is succussed (or shaken vigorously.) Succussion is believed to activate the “vital energy” of the substance and imprint its healing properties into the solvent.
Further Dilutions: The process of dilution and succussion is repeated over and over. Each step involves taking a small portion of the previous dilution and mixing it with a new batch of solvent. The number of times this process is repeated determines the potency of the remedy. For example:
A 6X potency means the original substance has been diluted 1:10 and succussed six times.
A 30C potency means the substance has been diluted 1:100 (C stands for centesimal) and succussed thirty times.
Once the potency is made, it’s coated on the outside of a sugar pellet and dissolved under the tongue.
The incredible thing about homeopathic remedies is that by the time it’s taken, the original mother tincture is so dilute that you usually wouldn’t even be able to find it under a microscope.
Of course, this has led to many skeptics and people who label it “quackery.”
We’re only just now finding out that nanoparticles of the substance still exist in the tincture, and that’s what’s able to affect the body when it’s ingested.
There’s simply a lot more going on in homeopathy than meets the eye—or even the microscope.
How Remedies Are Chosen in Homeopathy
There are upwards of 8,000 different substances used for making homeopathic remedies. Everything from salt (Natrum Muriaticum) to squid ink (Sepia) to literal gold (Aurum Metallicum).
And the process of choosing a remedy is just as diverse.
An experienced homeopath will take into account the patient’s unique symptom profile, their build, their personality, their family history, and their overall constitution before choosing a remedy.
The guiding principle is to treat the individual rather than just the disease. Remedies are usually chosen using criteria like:
Similarity of Symptoms: The focus is on pinpointing certain symptoms that would match a certain remedy’s symptoms.
Case-Taking: For both homeopaths we’ve worked with, the intake meeting (and the information gathering beforehand) was incredibly thorough. A very large part of homeopathy includes seeing the “bigger picture” of a person to treat the underlying problem. As such, LOTS of details are needed to form a good base for treatment.
Cross-Referencing Other Cases: Most homeopaths have a reference book (including the main one called the Materia Medica) that categorizes symptoms and remedies, and helps them narrow down related symptoms.
What Substances Are Used in Homeopathic Remedies?
Homeopathic remedies come from three main groups.
Plant-Based Remedies: Many powerful homeopathic remedies come from plants and herbs. Examples include:
Chamomilla matricaria (Chamomile): Used for toothaches in infants, separation anxiety, and sensitivity to pain.
Lycopodium clavatum (Club moss): Commonly used for digestive issues, lack or confidence, and irritability.
Mineral-Based Remedies: Minerals and inorganic substances also play a significant role in homeopathy. Examples include:
Calcarea carbonica (Calcium Carbonate): Used for fatigue, bone health issues, and developmental delays in children.
Natrum muriaticum (Sodium Chloride): Used for emotional distress, headaches, and fluid balance issues.
Animal-Based Remedies: Some remedies are derived from animal sources, and even certain venoms and toxins. Examples include:
Carcinosin (Made from cancerous tissue… yes, really): Used for perfectionism, anxiety, and fatigue
Lachesis muta (Bushmaster Snake Venom): Used for circulatory issues, menopausal symptoms, and throat infections.
From tarantula venom to tree bark, remedies truly can come from anywhere. It can even feel a little scary to know you’re taking a remedy made from cancerous tissue (as my son currently is.)
I remind myself that technically, those substances are so diluted that none of them actually remain. Only the nanoparticles are still there, or as Hahnemann himself would say, the “water memory.”
Classical Homeopathy vs. Other Homeopathic Methods (And Which Is Better?)
So for my purposes (healing a chronic condition like PANDAS), I’ve been talking about the attributes of classical homeopathy. That’s because this is more of a long-term approach to healing an individual.
It’s meant to help the body dive deep to the root causes of a problem and heal it layer by layer, like an onion. With classical homeopathy, it’s usually:
Based on the symptoms of the person’s entire constitution, instead of a few scattered symptoms
Only one remedy at a time
Given in the smallest dose possible to get a response
Other methods of homeopathy might deal with acute symptoms, not deal as much with the full symptomatic picture of a person, or be given in a different way.
These can be helpful and have their place, but (in our experience and from the homeopaths I’ve spoken with) long-term results are usually found with classical homeopathy.
Can Homeopathy Cause PANDAS Complications?
For most healthy people, taking a remedy—even a wrong remedy—everyday won’t do much. The worst it does is just… not work.
But for a PANDAS child, whose body is already so sensitive, taking the wrong remedy or taking too much of a remedy can cause bigger problems.
(That’s why I ALWAYS recommend doing homeopathy for your P/P child through a homeopath that specializes in PANDAS kids.)
As their body works to figure out a good dosing rhythm, you’ll probably have some trial and error along the way. Their body might not respond at all (which would mean you should change your dosing, frequency, or remedy)...
OR it may respond too robustly with something called an aggravation.
What Is a Homeopathic Aggravation?
So if you think of each dose of a remedy as giving your body a little nudge in the right direction as it works to heal itself…
Then an aggravation would be when a remedy gives the body a good SHOVE. This may be because of too-frequent dosing, a close-but-not-right remedy, or a wrong potency.
In my experience, an aggravation looks like a temporary worsening of the symptoms we already had. But understand, aggravations DON’T happen in every kid.
In fact, research suggests it can affect around 30% of PANS children—and far fewer people in the general population. (Their bodies are just extra sensitive!)
To help alleviate the “shove” reaction, a homeopath may ask you to dose your remedy in a different way, or to change the frequency you dose it.
How Homeopathy Is Dosed For PANDAS
The easiest and most common way to dose in classical homeopathy is with a single pellet dissolved under the tongue. (Which is usually no problem for children at all, since they they are literal sugar.)
However, if an entire pellet seems to be causing an aggravation, the dose can be reduced. A homeopath might recommend dosing in a few different ways:
Whole pellet
Water dilution—dissolving a pellet in water, stirring it, and dosing a small amount from that
Drop—dissolving a pellet in water, stirring it, and dosing a toothpick drop from it
Olfactory—inhaling the dose via deep, gentle breaths
Frequency can also be changed—whether it’s once a day, once every few days, once a week, or some other variation. It all depends on finding that dosing “sweet spot” based on how the child’s body is responding.
What Are the Advantages & Disadvantages of Homeopathy For PANDAS?
Like any healing modality, you’ll find benefits and drawbacks to healing your child with homeopathy. For our case, I personally saw more gains than liabilities, but that’s a question for each family to decide.
As for advantages:
They’re easy to administer. Even for picky children, it’s generally easier to get them to take a sugar pellet than anything else.
Remedies themselves are very inexpensive. Usually hovering around $10 a vial.
It’s gentle. The entire premise of homeopathy is based on the belief that the body CAN heal itself. The remedy only aids the body in doing what it needs to—so all the healing in done from the inside out. Your child’s body sets the pace of its own healing.
Appointments are usually handled remotely. This means you can work with an experienced PANDAS homeopath no matter where on the planet you are.
It’s noninvasive, and less stressful. A homeopath won’t ask for labs and you won’t have a kitchen counter full of supplements that your kid refuses to take.
It can be done alongside other modalities. While the end goal is to be able to stop those healing methods (including homeopathy), you can still begin your healing journey while incorporating other modalities.
And for disadvantages:
Healing is NOT linear. Because the child’s body sets the pace of healing, it may be slow and it will probably be back and forth. Homeopaths describe it as a “sawtooth pattern” of healing—ups and downs that trend upward until you reach the goal.
While remedies are inexpensive, a good homeopath usually isn’t. An intake appointment can be anywhere between $350-750, with an average of $100-150 per monthly appointment after that.
One size doesn’t fit all. One remedy may work beautifully for this child’s OCD, but it does nothing for another child because they need a completely different remedy. There can be trial and error in finding the right remedy, and it can be tough dealing with the subjective nature of it.
It does not look the same as Western medicine. Here in the West, we get a symptom, we find a medicine that STOPS the symptom, and we move on. While it’s nice to have a quick fix, homeopathy deals with root issues, which take longer to heal. Lots of time it’s 2 steps forward, 1 step back. That’s because homeopathy doesn’t suppress symptoms—it works through them.
So… Can Homeopathy Cure PANDAS?
You may have guessed, but the answer will be on a case-by-case basis. (Just like everything else with PANDAS, unfortunately.)
Homeopathy CAN bring lasting results to children who struggle with PANDAS. I’ve seen it take away my son’s extreme separation anxiety and alleviate brutal middle-of-the-night OCD meltdowns. But that doesn’t mean every single child will go into PANDAS remission with homeopathy alone.
It’s also worth noting: homeopathy isn’t JUST a treatment for PANDAS. It’s used to treat all kinds of conditions in a person—whether it’s chronic or acute, physical or behavioral.
Bottom line: for some it works well; for others it’s less effective. But your chances of PANDAS remission through homeopathy increase if you:
Make a commitment at the beginning to not quit until you’ve given it a decent amount of time to show results
Keep a good log of your child’s symptoms (symptom tracking is a MUST for choosing accurate remedies)
Take an active role in dosing on time and accurately
A Few Words About Homeopathy For PANDAS
Maybe you’re wondering… is homeopathy the answer my child and I are looking for?
I can’t truly answer that, because every child is different, and every child’s body responds to different things. This is ESPECIALLY true with PANDAS kids.
BUT I’ve seen homeopathy do some amazing things. Are there children who have gone into PANDAS remission using homeopathy alone? Yes!
If I can be transparent, my son is not 100% healed yet—we’re still in a sort of messy middle. I knew going in that this is a “long-haul” type of healing.
But after a year of working with our homeopath, my son is able to handle triggers with much more ease, his OCD symptoms have curbed, and the rage has cooled.
In fact, I wrote this post because I really believe homeopathy should be one of the frontline methods of care for a P/P diagnosis… and yet so many people don’t know about it yet.
So from one parent to another, if you’ve read this far and you’re here because you’ve got a PANDAS kiddo you’re desperately wanting to help, then…
1) I’m sorry you have to be here and
2) Consider homeopathy
This gentle, beautiful method of care has helped my child, and it may help yours too. ❤️
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