Dr Pierre Popowski has worked as a paediatrician in the Paris region for more than 30 years. As part of his practice, he offers his patients homeopathy. For him, homeopathy is based on a close observation of the patient. The doctor shares his experience and the benefits of homeopathy to alleviate symptoms in children.
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Why do you use homeopathy?
Dr Pierre Popowski : I started treating patients with homeopathy when I opened my practice in 1983. At that time, I found that city pathologies were different from those encountered at the hospital. Hospital treatments did not seem at all appropriate to the conditions of the children coming in to my practice. And it was the effectiveness of homeopathy that convinced me. As a paediatrician, while I believe it is good to treat patients, it is better to cure them.
What type of parents come to see you?
Dr P. P.: I have people who are regular users of homeopathy coming to my office, but I also see parents who come by simple word of mouth. At first, they can be sceptical, but they are quickly convinced when they see that it works. I also see mothers who have a desire for healthy living and parents who appreciate the preventive aspect of homeopathy. And then they also like the comfort of self-medication, provided it is supported by a doctor or pharmacist.
What is the role of parents during the consultation?
Dr P. P.: The principle of homeopathy is to provide a cure based on the patient’s symptoms, and not on the definition of diseases. Therefore, the role of parents and their sense of observation are crucial. They will describe their sick child and help me collect useful information. Saying that my child has a cough is not enough. I need to know how they cough, if it happens at night or during the day, what improves the cough and what makes it worse. This information may seem anecdotal, but it allows me to effectively prescribe the medicine appropriate to the situation. This is why the consultation is a little longer: homeopathy is based on close observation of the patient.
What diseases can homeopathy relieve?
Dr P. P.: All childhood diseases that do not require hospitalisation can be treated with homeopathy. When I started, I was treating a lot of nasopharyngitis, bronchiolitis and other infant diseases, such as chickenpox. In these cases, homeopathy will shorten the duration of progression and reduce the risk of complications. Over the years, I have also dealt with increasingly severe illnesses like asthma, atopic eczema and autoimmune diseases. Homeopathy is also used as supportive care in oncology. In this case, homeopathic medicines will not cure the disease, of course, but they will provide additional help to relieve the patient and prevent the side effects of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking a homeopathic treatment.
