A Case of Follicular Pharyngitis

Name: Baby A

Age/Sex: 9months /female

Date of first visit: 10, June 2014

Presenting Complaints:

1. She gags while swallowing semi-solid food since 7days.

2. High grade fever (between 101⁰ F-103⁰ F) since 2 days.

History of Presenting Complaints

1. For the last 7days the child was gagging whenever she swallowed semi-solid food, which she took with ease previously. Sometimes she vomited as well and the vomitus was of the food which she ate.

2. On the evening of June 9th she had 101⁰F fever. We gave Crocin (Paracetamol) to her that night. She had 102⁰ F fever and then on June 10th_, in the forenoon she had 103⁰.We gave Crocin to her. Her palms, soles and abdomen were much warmer than the rest of her body. On June 10th we went to a pediatrician who diagnosed follicular pharyngitis. We planned to start allopathic medicine as the doctor said that if the fever didn’t subside in two days, we should start with antibiotics, as the infection was severe.

I had already given her Pyrogenium, Arnica, Belladonna with no relief. On examination both follicles were deep red with white patches. The condition worsened, and after the consultation the child was unable to swallow even syrup and vomited as soon as it was taken. We thought the child had difficulty in taking syrup due to its thick consistency, so we gave it in a small amount in milk. That was also vomited. We were worried as the child had difficulty in taking medicine and the fever was still high. We decided to admit her, but I thought of giving one more chance to homoeopathy.

Generalities:

Appetite: normal

Desires: liquid only

Aversion: to cold things

Intolerance: to semi solid and solid food

Mentals: Irritable and child wants to be with mother or father only

Aversion to strangers and cries loudly if anyone takes her away from mother or father

Medicine selected was Baryta carbonica

Basis of selection:

1. Can swallow only liquids.

2. Irritable and wants to be with mother or father only. Aversion to strangers.

Repetition: I gave one dose of Baryta carb 30 and then waited. After the 1st dose the child slept and the fever subsided. After one hour she again became feverish, so I gave a second dose. The fever subsided and she slept. I repeated 5 doses hourly. After that I found there was no fever, so I waited. After 2 hrs she again become feverish, temperature was 101⁰F. I repeated the dose and the fever subsided and her irritability lessened. After that I needed to repeat one dose after 5hrs, 8hrs,10.5 hrs,15 hrs and then a last dose after 36 hrs. After 24hrs of starting the medicine child was able to swallow semisolid food with ease and she is now fine.