A Case of Little Mountain Basalt for Childhood Acne

Consultation done by phone with the mother for a 4 year old boy with main complaint of childhood acne. They live in rural Alberta so they are not able to come to see me in person.

H = Homeopath

P = Patient’s mother

October 19, 2011: Initial Consultation

H: Pregnancy?

P: Good, normal. At birth emergency C- section. Fine after he came out.

H: Breastfeeding?

P: No milk, bottle fed, tried for 3 months. Did everything.

H: How did formula feeding go?

P: Good. He was colicky. He had some bloating, a gassy baby. Did chiropractics. He was an 11pm crier. Spitting up a bit but not a huge spitter.

H: Get better over time?

P: Yes. Normal BM’s now.

H: Past or present medications?

P: 1 antibiotic, nothing major.

H: Immune system?

P: The odd cold and the flu once.

H: Has he ever had vaccines?

P: No, none.

H: Skin?

P: A lot of acne on his face, baby acne, and on his arms.

H: Hayfever or seasonal allergies?

P: No.

H: Foods?

P: Extremely picky eater. The skin (acne) is constant.

H: Likes to eat?

P: Anything that’s not healthy. Not a sugar eater or dessert eater, rarely chocolate. Likes his chicken and fries. Will eat fruits over vegetables, not a huge meat eater.

H: Appetite?

P: Huge appetite, a big kid, not fat, just a big kid.

H: Met his milestones?

P: Oh yes.

H: Teething?

P: Terrible. Tough teether, we knew about every tooth he got, very fussy. No cavities.

H: Sweats?

P: No.

H: Sleep?

P: Never a good sleeper. Started to finally sleep. Will wake up at least twice a week once a night.

H: Nightmares?

P: Just starting. Had one last week that was really bad. He said “Mommy it was bad”, sobbing when I went into his room.

H: Fears/phobias?

P: No.

H: Personality?

P: Fairly outgoing, shy when first meets people – first give him 10 minutes, then very outgoing.

H: Is he energetic?

P: Oh yes, energetic.

H: Hobbies?

P: Plays soccer. Plays with race cars, likes to read. Likes to watch TV.

H: Physical kid?

P: Yes, more sportish than bookish.

H: What upsets him?

P: Being told no.

H: Social with peers?

P: Has friends, participates.

H: Does he get hot or cold easily?

P: He is more on the warm side.

H: Any injuries?

P: Nothing major. He had a test-icle that didn’t drop, had to do surgery when he was a year old.

H: At school?

P: Doing good. He’s pointing out letters.

Analysis

No major complaints except for the childhood acne. I think that Sulphur could match his symptoms quite well, but I had recently done a proving of Little Mountain Basalt, so I wanted to try that remedy out first. Little Mountain Basalt is a remedy that comes close to Sulphur – it’s a remedy with an affinity for the skin. Teeth pain was also a symptom of the Little Mountain Basalt proving. The patient is male and also quite energetic, earthy and physical, which matches well with Basalt.

Prescription: Little Mountain Basalt 40C (C6 trituration), split dose

First Follow-up: December 14, 2011

H: How is he emotionally?

P: Typical 4 year old tantrums.

H: Good energy?

P: Oh yes, very good.

H: Skin?

P: It cleared after the first dose. I just noticed he’s starting to get spots come back.

H: Anything new?

P: No, I don’t think so.

H: Flareup after the remedy?

P: No. Skin complaint only came back about a week ago.

Prescription: Little Mountain Basalt 40C, split dose

Second Follow-up: February 29, 2012

H: Immunity?

P: Before Xmas he was quite sick. He had a cold. Down for about a week. Runny nose, cough, like the flu, definitely lethargic and had a fever.

H: Skin?

P: It comes and goes. It’s better than it has been.

H: Anything new?

P: No, nothing new.

Analysis

Low immunity is a symptom of Little Mountain Basalt, so his recent cold further confirms the remedy. I am wondering whether he is starting to get a tolerance to the remedy, so decide to increase the potency.

Prescription: Little Mountain Basalt 220C

March 22, 2012

Evan had a skin aggravation from LM Basalt 220

Prescription: LM Basalt C40, and 2 doses to hold

Third Follow-up: May 28, 2012

Patient had a skin flareup after the higher potency, but it got better after the mother gave the 40c potency.

H: Skin right now?
P: Flared up the other day, but better again.
H: Anything new?
P: No, nothing, he’s good.

June 14, 2012

Patient’s skin flared up again so I told the mother to give him another dose.

Prescription: LM Basalt C40, single dose

Fourth Follow-up: September 5, 2012

P: My son’s skin has been good, no troubles this summer. He started Kindergarten yesterday.

H: Anything new?

P: No, nothing new

H: Energy and moods?

P: All good.

About the Little Mountain Basalt Proving and Cases

I have had two good Little Mountain Basalt Cases so far: the one written about in this article as well as a cured case of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. A relatively healthy person needing this remedy (the child in this case, for example) may be full of energy and very physical, with the centre of disturbance being pushed to the outside (the skin – psora). A less healthy, older person needing this remedy may have been very physical and energetic in the past, but their health deteriorates to the point where they lose most of their energy, and eventually they could develop chronic fatigue and/or fibromyalgia (goes from psoric to syphilitic).

Of the two cases I have had so far of this remedy, they both live outside of urban areas, in a rural setting. I think because LM Basalt is such an earthy remedy, it makes sense that it has more of an affinity with people who are closer to the earth (people in rural settings). Both cured cases so far also were male. Also, because LM Basalt is so basic, it can have an affinity with people of any age.

Sulphur and LM Basalt are both volcanic remedies, so they do have a lot of symptoms in common. One big differentiating feature between Sulphur and LM Basalt is that Sulphur can be the lazy intellectual, whereas LM Basalt is the blue collar workhorse. Sulphur is the theorizing professor, whereas LM Basalt engages largely with the physical world.

Think of this remedy for earthy types with any one of or several of these main complaints, all related to problems with the base chakra: skin problems, allergies, problems with immunity, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.

To find out more details about the trituration proving of Little Mountain Basalt, follow this link: