A Case of Benign Rolandic Epilepsy Cured with Classical Homeopathy

Benign Rolandic Epilepsy (BRE) is the most common form of childhood epilepsy. It is referred to as “benign” because most children outgrow the condition by puberty. This form of epilepsy is characterized by seizures involving a part of the brain called the rolandic area.[1] These seizures typically begin between the ages of 3 and 16 years and occur during the nighttime.[2] Other features of BRE include headaches or migraines and behavioral and/or learning differences.[3] BRE is thought to be a genetic disorder because most affected individuals have a family history of epilepsy.[3][4] Treatment for BRE may depend on the symptoms and severity in each person. Because BRE resolves on its own before adulthood, many children with BRE who have infrequent seizures that only occur at night do not take anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs).[1] However, there have been studies suggesting that BRE may cause lasting cognitive or behavioral problems in some people.[5] Medication is more likely to be recommended in children with frequent or daytime seizures, cognitive impairment, or a learning disorder.[1]

Initial Case-Taking:

26/05/10

A 10yr old girl was brought by her mother for these seizures which had started two years previously. These seizures can be every few days or several on successive days.

Symptoms:

“Gurgling” sound in throat followed by eyes rolling upwards, salivation, tingling in hands and fingers drawn inwards or convulsive movements of the arms. Often, they happen in the evenings.

Last Thursday she had another one, as she went off to sleep, with salivation, numb mouth and twitching of face, then slurred speech and a feeling of being hot inside.

Often then there is salivation after the seizure as well. Saturday evening on going to sleep there was another one. Sunday night another seizure happened – with gurgling, twitching face, hand jerking and convulsive movements of the arms.

Causation:

The seizures started 2 years ago when she was 8 yrs old.  This followed the death of her grand-mother whom she was very close to. She was not told of her death until later so was unable to go to the funeral. She was very upset at this.

1 yr previously her parents had separated also. She also can suffer with migraines preceded by loss of vision and sparks of light.

Grinding of teeth in sleep most nights.

One episode of somnambulism

Generals:

Strong desire for SALT (3), crisps, vinegar, sour foods, lemon

Aversion to Sweets (2)

Hunger at 11am (2)

Thirstless (2)

M/E symptoms:

Fears: Clowns (2), Robbers (3)

She was described as a stubborn and persistent person that can be argumentative. Likes to gain approval.

Medical history:

Otitis media with fever 3 months ago treated with antibiotics.

Symptoms for repertorisation:

Mind: Ailments from Grief (3)

Gens: Convulsions after grief (2)

Mind: Fear of Robbers (3)

Stom: Appetite increased forenoon 11am (1)

Gens: Food, desire for Salt (3)

Gens: Convulsions, epileptic (3)

Conclusion:

This case had an obvious CAUSATION which was two griefs following each other leading to the start of the seizures. These seizures were every few days or sometimes on successive days. Very often on falling asleep or in the evenings.

With this repertorisation the remedy was obviously NAT-MUR.  A remedy we know very often has a causation of grief or silent grief.

Prescription:

A single dose of NAT-MUR 200c was administered.

Level of Health:

As she had had high fever with an acute only 3 months ago and the remedy picture, in a difficult pathology was clear, I assumed she was in a high level, probably Group 1.

Reaction:

Unfortunately I did not hear back from them and assumed they had moved. Four years later my own daughter reported to me that a girl at her school, in her year, had come up to her and said “is your dad a homeopath”? To which she replied “yes” but “So what”?  She said, “Well he is pretty cool as he cured my epilepsy!”

She reported this to me that evening and I suddenly remembered the case, so I rang the mother the next day (luckily the number was the same!) who confirmed that indeed the seizures had never returned after that first dose of NAT-MUR.

Also there had been no aggravation. This confirmed my suspicion she was in a very high Level of Health, probably Level 1 where no aggravations occur and cure is swift.

References

1. Holmes GL, Fisher RS, Hernandez A. Benign Rolandic Epilepsy. Epilepsy Foundation. February 2, 2015; http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/types-epilepsy-syndromes/benign-rolandic-epilepsy.
2. Mellish LC, Dunkley C, Ferrie CD, Pal DK. Antiepileptic drug treatment of rolandic epilepsy and Panayiotopoulos syndrome: clinical practice survey and clinical trial feasibility. Arch Dis Child. January 2015; 100(1):62-67. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4283698/.
3. Kaddurah AK. Benign Childhood Epilepsy. Medscape Reference. December 23, 2015; https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1181649-overview#a7.
4. Kniffen CL, Lopez A, McKusick VA. Centralopathic Epilepsy. Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM). September 9, 2015; http://www.omim.org/entry/117100.
5. Camfield C, Camfield P. Cognitive Disabilities and Long-term Outcomes in Children with Epilepsy: A Tangled Tail. Send to SeminPediatr Neurol. November, 2017; 24(4):243-250. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29249504.