Abstract
This research was conducted to determine the effect of Phosphorus 6CH on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Phosphorus 6CH is a simplex homoeopathic preparation that through repertorisation of DSM-IV diagnostic criteria of ADHD is found to be well indicated for this disorder.
Homoeopathic trials have been conducted previously on complex homoeopathic preparations (Strauss, 1998; Smith, 2001) and have shown overall improvements in the symptoms of ADHD. The use of a simplex homoeopathic remedy has not been effectively documented prior to 2004.
ADHD is a commonly diagnosed childhood disorder characterised by inattention, impulsivity, and possibly hyperactivity. Current management of this disorder is predominantly through the use of highly scheduled central nervous system stimulants, which may produce unwanted and serious side effects, and in some children may produce no response at all.
A double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial was conducted. Children between seven and eleven years of age with pre-diagnosed ADHD and taking no other medication for the disorder were included in the trial. Children were randomly assigned to either the medication or the placebo groups. Evaluations were conducted by means of the Barkley and DuPaul Teacher Rating Scale (BDTRS), completed by the child’s teacher, the Parent Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ), completed by the child’s parent or guardian, and the Children’s Checking Task (CCT), completed by the child. Evaluation was conducted before the trial, weekly after two weeks of liquid administration, and again a week after cessation of treatment.
Statistical analysis revealed significant improvement in both the BDTRS and the PSQ scores, with the placebo group also showing improvement, although not to as significant a degree as the experimental group. In the CCT, no significant improvement was seen in the total scores of the tests, although there was significant improvement in the time taken to complete the tests.
Because of the placebo effect having a large influence on the results of the study, more effective research would need to be done in order to establish whether Phosphorus did in fact account for the more significant improvement found in the experimental group. Further studies need to be conducted on the effect of homeopathic remedies such as Phosphorus, with variable dosage and potency being used.
Since all children in the study showed a marked improvement due to the high level of attention met on each child by the teachers and parents involved, it is worth considering a study where no medication is used at all, but where children are given individualised attention and encouragement. It would be a valuable way to assess whether this attention would be sufficient to produce marked improvement in the children over a sustained period of time, or whether the attention given would ultimately no longer be enough but would have to be supplemented with medication.
Dr. Joanne Roohani
Mrs. Carolina Henn