Is Homeopathic Belladonna Safe?
As a Doctor Mom, you may have come across homeopathic Belladonna as a remedy for various ailments like teething pain, fever, or inflammation. But with all the conflicting information out there, it’s natural to wonder: is it really safe for my child? With all the mixed messages that are out there, it’s understandable that you may feel nervous about homeopathic Belladonna.
Let’s break down the facts, debunk the myths, and give you a clearer understanding of homeopathic Belladonna, why it’s safe for children, and why the fear surrounding it is unnecessary.
What is Homeopathic Belladonna?
Although it’s been used for centuries in medicine, much of the concern around Belladonna stems from its history as a toxic plant. In its raw, unprocessed form, it contains alkaloids that can be toxic. However, the Belladonna used in homeopathy is drastically different from the raw plant form. It’s prepared using a process of extreme dilution. In fact, it’s so dilute that there’s no trace of the original substance left. This means homeopathic Belladonna contains only the energetic imprint, which stimulates the body’s natural healing processes while being completely non-toxic.
Understanding the Controversy
The debate over homeopathic Belladonna stems largely from its past use in Hyland’s teething tablets, which some reports suggested may have been linked to adverse reactions like seizures and vomiting in infants and even death. In 2017, the FDA issued warnings about Belladonna-containing teething products based on these reports. The media sensationalized these reports with misleading headlines, and ultimately, Hyland’s voluntarily removed the teething tablets from the market. This was likely done not because Hyland’s thought the teething tablets were harmful but rather in an attempt to quell the fear and shift the conversation around homeopathy as a whole.
It should be noted that despite many requests from Hyland’s for evidence indicating its products caused these serious events, the FDA or the original researchers have never offered any.
Let’s Break Down the Evidence…
MYTH: Homeopathic Belladonna may trigger adverse effects, including seizures and vomiting.
✅ FACT: The research that prompted this claim actually shows no cause and effect link. The FDA and original researchers have never found evidence to suggest homeopathic Belladonna specifically causes any adverse events at all.
✅ FACT: Homeopathic Belladonna is an ultra-dilute form of medicine. In commonly recommended potencies of 30c or 200c there are zero molecules left of physical Belladonna, making it completely non-toxic (even if a child eats the whole bottle!).
✅ FACT: The formulation of homeopathic Belladonna simply does not contain an amount of Belladonna capable of causing harm.
✅ FACT: In contrast, there are pharmaceuticals available with SIGNIFICANT amounts of Belladonna in comparison and the safety of this pharmaceutical has never been questioned by the FDA.
So What Could Have Been Going On?
SOMETHING happened, right? Otherwise, why would scientists or the FDA say anything in the first place? As mentioned, there is no conclusive evidence that homeopathic Belladonna causes harm. So, what could have caused symptoms like seizures or vomiting in children?
One theory could be that moms generally offer any type of medicine to children or are fussy, feverish, uncomfortable, or ill in some way. So, it seems reasonable to presume that the children who experienced the reported adverse events also experienced some symptoms that prompted the medicine in the first place. But in these cases, what if teething wasn’t the cause of the symptoms? What if there was a different sort of disease process or immune-triggering event taking place? It’s possible that this underlying condition naturally evolved into the more serious episodes reported.
Is Homeopathic Belladonna Safe for My Child?
As Doctor Moms we want to make sure we are giving our children medicines that are safe for them. The nature of homeopathy being an incredibly dilute form of medicine makes it safe for all ages from infants to pregnancy and breastfeeding and beyond! You can read 6 Reasons Why Homeopathy is Great for Kids’ Health!
Additionally, homeopathy IS regulated by the FDA and research on homeopathy consistently shows no adverse effects from these remedies. Homeopathic Belladonna is a gentle remedy, safe to use in infants and children. As always, homeopathy works best when the child is considered from a holistic perspective and the remedy is a best fit whether you are trying to support teething, fevers, or other ailments.
You are doing such a great job, mama. You are digging into understanding what medicines are safe and what medicines may harm. You should never stop questioning. Your child is so lucky to have you!
We hope that after reading this blog, you feel better about giving your child homeopathy. We want all Doctor Moms to feel confident about using this gentle and safe natural medicine with their family.
