Such is the ability of the child to repeat what they have heard when there is a metabolic deficiency in zinc. The pendulum can swing either way. Either the child will repeat the question back to the doctor, which may be due to slow comprehension, or the child has the ability to repeat back verbatim what they have heard, much to the astonishment of the surrounding audience. The latter may be the child with a true photographic memory. That is the power of our special, highly classified Zincum metallicum. The remedy stands alone; there is none other to fill its shoes!
However, at the same time, the child cannot tolerate loud sounds. What I mean to say is that the child has acute hearing but cannot tolerate noise. There is duality with noise. They can make lots of noise but cannot tolerate other’s loud noise. The sounds of a blender or vacuum cleaner are horrifying. The pressure cooker filled with rice and steaming water is an intolerable apparatus for the child and causes apprehension and anxiety due to the constant letting go of pressure. The sound is so loud that the child covers his ears with his hands and cries in desperation. The parent is exhausted. They throw up their hands up in true exasperation realizing that their child is the The Highly Sensitive Child.
The parent finds it quite impossible to understand how the loud noise is intolerable and painful for the child. For, at the same time, the child makes extremely loud banging noises with an ensemble of pots and pans that they have quickly pulled from all the drawers in the kitchen. The child is content making his own noise.
The child with a zinc deficiency may enjoy and be able to distinguish the difference in sounds and tones between the constant dropping of toys from the table to the floor. To the parent it is simply, Crash! Crash! But to the child, it is music. He can hear different sounds and tones to each drop, depending on height and action. Therefore, it brings great joy to repeat the crashing and dropping of precious toys which are in all shapes and sizes! This becomes intolerable for the parent and easily causes their nervous system to short circuit.
Yes, to put it mildly, the child constantly bangs and crashes toys together for fun and to experience the musical qualities of these sounds. They find delight and joy in ramming trucks into once expensive furniture which, no doubt, drives the parents to despair. This is a no-win situation without Zincum metallicum.
The fire alarm at school is beyond loud and physically hurts the child’s ears. A fire drill causes quite a fright and the anticipation of the loud alarm and an upcoming fire drill may cause severe apprehension indeed! The child that requires Zincum metallicum will be the one in a crowd of children covering his ears and in evident distress. Hyperacusis is the diagnosis and the pain is real!
A child who is hypersensitive to sound, requiring Zinc metallicum, may not tolerate another child talking. A child with a zinc deficiency may slap a crying baby. The high pitched sound of a crying baby may be intolerable. Always remember, there may be more than meets the eye in the actions of a child that has a zinc deficiency.
It is the homeopath’s job to figure out who, what, where, when, and why. The five W’s aren’t just saved for journalism; the five W’s are most imperative for the differential diagnosis and selection of correct homeopathic medicine.
Hearing, acute, noises, to
Hearing, acute, noises, rumpling of paper
Hearing, acute, perspiration, during
Hearing, acute, voices and talking 7
Mind, sensitive, music, to
Mind, sensitive, noise, to
Mind, sensitive, noise, to, voices
Mind, torments everyone with his complaints 7
Children who require Zincum metallicum are oversensitive. They have sensory issues and may be labeled The Oversensitive Child. Everything bothers them. They cannot tolerate the tags in their clothing. They cry and pull at their clothing. It doesn’t take long before the mother knows to cut all the tags out of every piece of apparel. Their clothing is a bother.
The child may have a hole in their good polo shirt from chewing the material. Their parents complain they don’t have any unchewed shirts. Clothing is either too short, too long, or too rough. Socks are not tolerated! The seams are in the wrong place. Trying to find the right place for the seam is impossible. Getting ready for school in the morning is a nightmare. Shoes may be quite intolerable and the child immediately will kick them off. Out of frustration the parents let the child wear flip flops to school. Even in winter!
A child requiring Zincum metallicum may be seen undressing in the backseat of the car after school. The child may strip down to their underwear for sensory relief. The child’s sensory issues may be so severe they simply cannot tolerate any clothing. Not even for one more minute! One mother asked me what should she say if the police pulled her over. She worried about her naked child in the back seat of the car! She was a mother of extreme patience and kindness as it took her sometimes an hour to coax her child to sit in the car seat for the drive home.
A child may come into your office saying he has bugs or ants crawling on his skin. This sensation of crawling bugs on his skin may prevent him from sleeping. Think of Zincum metallicum with formication. Of course, one has to put the symptoms together as the child doesn’t come to the office saying, “Dear Doctor, I have formication preventing me from sleeping at night.” One must be more like Sherlock Holmes and do some sleuthing or a deep investigation. I, however, have provided some clues that may be of some help.
Now, a child comes into my office and I ask, “How are you?” The child repeats “How are you?” Immediately think Zincum metallicum! The child who has a zinc deficiency will repeat the sentence back to the doctor! If the parent is explaining things about their child make sure to ask the child a couple of questions directly. The child requiring Zincum metallicum may have echolalia. It is as simple as that. Perhaps you are talking to a child that repeats the last part of your sentence, again, think of Zincum metallicum!
Echolalia is not reserved just for children. Adults can have echolalia, too! Of course, it may be more subtle. I find that adults have learned not to repeat questions out loud. After all, an adult knows that if he constantly repeats the question out loud, people might think he is crazy. A friend may run in the other direction! Instead, the person with a zinc deficiency requiring Zincum metallicum may pause after a question, say the question to themselves silently and then answer the question out loud. Is this echolalia? I think so.
Why would a child have echolalia? Is a child repeating the question trying to understand the question before answering? The child requiring Zincum metallicum has difficulty with comprehension. A child requiring Zincum metallicum may have difficulty understanding and processing a question. The child may repeat the question while trying to figure out what the question means. Then he must process the answer which explains a further pause. Echolalia may provide the time required for processing the question and figuring out what the answer is. This remedy may be helpful with a child that has a Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD).
Treating children with autism can be quite challenging to say the least. However, treating children with autism is what I do best! Therefore, I will tell you some of my secrets. I have been asked politely and even been threatened by other doctors to list all the remedies on the spot that are important for the treatment of autism. Let me assure you that Zincum metallium is on the top of that list!
Now, in stating this I will further explain that prescribing the constitutional remedy is by far the most important treatment a child can receive. When the constitutional remedy is given, the child will receive optimal results. Is this not why we went to medical school?
As Thomas A. Edison quoted, “The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”