(January 2008)
Female aged 3 is brought to the clinic by her mother, suffering from coeliac disease, ketotic hypoglycemia (Homeopathy Treatment for Hypoglycemia) and hereditary hyperphosphatasia. She has been unwell since 6 months of age, when it became clear that she was not growing at an appropriate rate. She has a very pale complexion and currently weighs just under 11kg (below the 5th percentile for her age). She has a very high thirst and desires milk or orange juice. She doesn’t like solid food, but enjoys fruit. She is constantly craving sugar and her symptoms are markedly worse after any gluten or carbohydrates. She needs to eat frequently, as her symptoms get worse if she goes too long without food. She has nausea and strong stomach pains, which are worse in the morning and on going to bed in the evening. It takes quite some time for her to get to sleep every night as she is in pain and feels sick. She seems worse when she rests or is lying down. The pain is stronger on the right hand side of her stomach. She wakes most nights after 4am crying, saying that her body is hurting. She experiences pains in her pelvic region and in the joints of her extremities.
Around 18 months of age, she suffered from an attack of gastro that she was hospitalised for. During this episode, her lips turned blue and her upper lip swelled severely. She had severe vomiting of a white coloured discharge. She had constant diarrhoea for 8 days, which her mother described as foul sludge. Her body temperature dropped to 34? and her extremities were incredibly cold to touch. She was initially very clingy to her mother, but eventually became limp and in a semi-comatose state. Her breathing also became very noisy. Following this incident, her ongoing symptoms of nausea and stomach and joint pain increased significantly.
The relationship between her parents is quite strained, and her father travels a lot with work. She often becomes sicker than normal whilst her father is away.
REPERTORISATION:
Stomach; Vomiting; white (23)
Stomach: Thirst (358)
Generalities; Morning, five am. – nine am.; agg (263)
Face; Swelling; lips (117)
Stomach; Pain; General (375)
Face; Discoloration; bluish (222)
Generalities; Midnight; agg; after; four am. (43)
Generalities; Food and drinks; fruit; desires (46)
Chill; coldness in general (240)
Generalities; Lying; agg; bed,in (149)
FACIAL ANALYSIS
| YELLOW (psora) | RED (sycosis) | BLUE (syphilis) |
| Eyes shape Mouth size Lids |
Eyes size Nose size Lips Gums Teeth Hairline shape Forehead shape |
Chin shape Hairline height Lines bridge Asymmetry Ears size Forehead shape |
| 3 | 7 | 6 |
Examination of her facial features showed an equal dominance of sycotic and syphilitic features, hence a purple (syco-syphilitic) remedy would be selected.
Remedies showing on the repertorisation include Nat-m, Ars, Verat, Bry, Lach, Puls, Carb-v, Sulph, Phos, Nux-v, Nit-ac, Sep, Sil, Bell, Lyc, Calc, Caust etc.
The first purple remedy on the repertorisation was Veratrum Album and read very well for the case in the material medica. She was given Veratrum Album 30c daily.
First follow up (Feb 2008)
On the first night of taking the remedy, she went to sleep without complaining of any nausea or pains in her stomach and slept through the entire night. In the following 2 week period, she was quite tired and slept solidly each night as well as a good sleep each afternoon. She was no longer complaining of any nausea or stomach pain, nor did she wake with joint or bone pain through the night. She was far happier in her general disposition, and reminded her mother every morning that she needed to take her remedy. She was advised to continue on the daily dose and booked another appointment for a few weeks time.
Second follow up (March 2008)
Her condition is still greatly improved as in the first follow up and she has gained some weight. Her appetite has increased in the quantity that she is eating and she is following a more regular eating pattern. Her mother says that she has had many comments from family and friends regarding how well her daughter is looking and also noticing that there has been some weight gain. Her sleep continues to be solid.
Third follow up (October 2008)
Took Veratrum 30C daily till June 2008. Still doing well even without the remedy. No remedy given.
Phone contact December 2008 – has had one attack of pain and vomiting recently – advised to return to the clinic.
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Janine McClelland
Ad Dip Hom Prof Memb AHA AROH reg Dip Teach B. Ed
