Is there scientific evidence that
suppression of acute diseases in childhood induce chronic diseases in
the future?
Teixeira MZ.
Department of
Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade de Sao Paulo,
Brazil. marcus@homeozulian.med.br
Seeking to understand the
individual in his symptomatic totality has been an aim of homeopathy
since its beginning. Throughout its history, homeopaths have been
concerned that inadequate treatment of acute diseases in childhood may
lead to future chronic diseases. Hahnemann cautioned that by treating
acute diseases with allopathic medicine, with strong doses of drugs, or
suppressing local symptoms of those diseases, would increase the risk of
future chronic diseases. Burnett proposed the theory of vaccinosis and
warned of chronic manifestations subsequent to smallpox vaccination.
French homeopaths, seeking the physiopathological origin of chronic
diseases, correlated it to the abnormal reaction of the
reticuloendothelial system (RES). Through the study of experimental
pathology, Maffei attributed symptomatic manifestations to the imbalance
between the immunological phenomena of allergy and immunity. He termed
the sensitizing and pathogenic effects of medications and vaccines,
'metallergy' and 'parallergy', respectively. The hygiene hypothesis is
based on evidence that the imbalance of immunological response in
childhood, specifically among the Th1 and Th2 lymphocyte subpopulations,
is responsible for the development of some allergic and chronic diseases
in the future. The deranging factor for the predisposition to future
allergic response (Th2) is the obstruction of natural manifestations of
infectious diseases (Th1 response) in young children. Homeopathic
treatment aims to equilibrate vital reaction, corresponding to an
integrative physiological response, it may regulate Th1/Th2 imbalance.
However, clinical trials to support this hypothesis are
lacking.