Caffey’s Disease

Caffey disease, or infantile cortical hyperostosis, is a benign, rare, proliferating bone disease affecting infants. Caffey first reported this disease in in 1945.Caffey’s disease occurs in the early part of the first year of life (< 5 mo). It is characterized by fever, soft-tissue swelling, hyperirritability.An X-ray showing underlying cortical hyperostosis confirms.

17/06/16-A 3month old baby girl presented with swelling on the right side of her face in front of the ear with severepain and fever.

HISTORY OF PRESENTING COMPLAINT

The baby girl who is the second twin with her sister was just 2.5 months old when she suddenly developed a big red swelling around the right ear with excessive crying. Her parents went to a local allopathic child specialist and he gave some treatment which was not of much benefit and after which she had blood in her stools more than twice.

They again rushed to a very big hospital where she was diagnosed with right  parotitis with sepsis with acute dysentery.There she was treated with I.V Augmentin and mild pain killers. Still the child was not well and her swelling was not reducing The child was unable to take mother’s milk and was crying continuously, so they referred to a third doctor in another hospital. At the hospital they changed the medicines and to them it appeared as cellulitis.

On observation

• Child was crying continuously with pain and was only a bit manageable outside the clinic or outdoors with some family member.
• Was feeling better when somebody keeps talking to her in a sympathetic way and use to cry back as if replying
• Swelling was very big and child was crying with helplessness and pain
• Was feeling better carried out doors in open air with gentle swinging and pat on the back

Prescription

Rx

PULS 30 /2hourly for one day

17/05 evening 8.30 p.m: Parents reported that the swelling was now reduced and there was no redness. he child has been sleeping comfortably throughout from the very first dose. Took breast feed properly. Stools once – yellow

18/06/16

Next morning the patient was much better

They showed me thick reddish brown discharge which came out from the right ear sticking all around the outer ear and the area of neck below the ear.

Pulsatilla continued now thrice a day

22/05/16

Patient brought in this in morning when the swelling reappeared  Mild patient but irritable and violently crying continuouslyand withloose motions. There was reappearance of swelling now on both sides of face.

I retook the case to know the cause but could not get a clue. I managed the case by prescribing on the spot for the present predominating symptoms. The child was screaming, irritable,restless with intolerable pain.

• Prescription

Chamomilla 30 -20 drops in 100ml water

• The patient fell peacefully asleep in a few minutes.
• Prescription

Chamomilla 30 -20 drops in 100ml water

Stir well and a teaspoonful every hour

02/07/16

Patient came with swelling on right cheek with no fever. The previous prescription was helping her a lot as now there was no fever and the child was calm

CTscan found that she was suffering from hyperostosis of the entire mandiblepointing towards Caffey’s disease.  The swelling now was stony hard.

Rx: Calc Fluor 6x /tds/15 days and asked them to report if any problem occurred. Patient was already managed with Chamomilla so they did not take any allopathic medicines and continued the homoeopathic treatment and the child was much better after that.

17/07/16

After 2 weeks the swelling reduced 70 percent

Rx: Calc Fluor 6x/tds/2weeks

03/08/16

Patient completely recovered from acute symptoms after another 2 weeks.

Rx

Calc fluor 6x/tds/2weeks

Follow up after 2 years:

The child is growing well and she is completely healthy.