A girl of two years properly dressed with a little messy hair and runny nose visited first on 3rd March, 2022. She is suffering from coryza since 4 to 5 months. A clear watery discharge from both nostrils all the time +2; with obstruction of nose at night while asleep +3. She has these complaints recurrently in past 4-5 months; which all were treated with antibiotics. She sometimes vomits at night while drinking milk. Curdled vomiting +1.
Past H/o :
Birth with LSCS due to strangulated umbilical cord around neck at 8.5 months of pregnancy.
Weight at birth: 2.2 kg
Defect in retina due to premature birth – operated on
Summer rash around neck region 1 year back – treated with local allopathic ointments
Last High Grade Fever two months ago with coryza – 102◦ F – treated with antibiotics.
She suffers with such fevers and coryza every 2-3 months.
Family H/o :
Mother – chronic migraine
Grandfather ( Paternal ) – Diabetes, CA liver
Uncle ( Maternal ) – Tuberculosis
Physical Generals :
Thermal – Parents could not tell anything specific about it.
Desires – Sour +3, Lemon & Oranges +3, Salty food (French Fries, Salted Pista) & Salt +3, Eggs boiled +2, Curd +2, Milk +3, Raw Spices +2 (Cumin & Fennel seeds) Chocolate +2, Ice-cream +2
Thirsty +3, desires cold water +2
Perspires on head and hair +2
Refreshed even after short sleep +2. Muttering and talking during sleep +1.
Mental Generals :
Father – she is very energetic child. She walks and plays at home all day without getting tired. Very restless, cannot sit at one place. She likes to play in the garden. She exerts physically for a whole day but still doesn’t go to bed easily.
She falls asleep around 12am to 1am. She takes very short sleep but is always refreshed. Sometimes she sleeps in the afternoon for 1 or 2 hours.
No fears of dark, dogs or any other animal.
Physician’s observation – Child is restless, wandering around whole clinic and touching each and every thing to know if she can play with it. No violent actions. Takes water from jug 2-3 times in 45 minutes. Adorable looking and will reply in correct manner which was beyond her age.
General Examination :
Weight – 10.55 kg
Height – 75 cm
Bald patch on occiput region since birth.
Totality of Symptoms & Repertorial Totality :
- Energetic, restless +3
- Desires Sour +3, Lemon & Oranges +3, Salty food (French Fries, Salted Pista) & Salt +3, Eggs boiled +2, Curd +2, Milk +3, Raw Spices +2 (Cumin & Fennel seeds) Chocolate +2, Ice-cream +2
- Thirsty +3, desires cold water +2
- Perspires on head and hair +2
- Refreshed even after short sleep +2
- Muttering and talking during sleep +1
- Obstruction of nose at night while asleep +3
- Watery nasal discharges +2
- Curdled vomiting +1
Analysis :
Some of the General symptoms are matching with Calcarea Carbonica but the child is too energetic to be Calcarea. Thus, the choice of the medicine would be among Medorrhinum, Phosphorus and Veratrum Album who are quite energetic, restless and share similar cravings of food items which are present in this case. In my experience the child is too naïve to be Medorrhinum or Veratrum Album so I chose Phosphorus as my first prescription.
Prescription : Phosphorus 1M – single dose – S. L. – QDS
Follow Up : ( 9th March, 2022 )
Patient’s mother reported that she had severe red tiny eruptions around the neck region since yesterday. These eruptions are similar to what she had one year back and also on same location as those treated with allopathy. Her mother has been advised to wait and not to use any allopathic ointments or medication.
Prescription : Continue with previous S.L.
( Principle No. 3 – Do not be in a hurry to prescribe if an old symptom or complex of old symptoms is returning. Principle No. 4 – Do not prescribe a remedy if a skin eruption or discharge appears and is accompanied by a general amelioration. The eruption or discharge may be intense but brief. [1] )
Follow Up : ( 6th April, 2022 )
Wt. 10.60 kg.
Watery discharges are stopped. Obstruction of nose at night during sleep +1.
Eruptions disappeared within 15 days of appearance around neck region. No medicines or external applications were needed.
Thirsty +3. Desire cold water +2.
Desires – sour +2. salt +2. milk +3.
Hard stools +2.
Mother – Now, she has been very obstinate all the time. Irritable +2. Hits and bites others +3. Hyperactive +3.
Palpable node in left side of neck came in to awareness of mother.
Prescription : Tuberculinum 200 – single dose. – S.L. – QDS
( This stage is revealing the underneath layer of Tuberculinum. Enlarged lymph-node and bald patch of occiput region are indications of the Tubercular miasm.)
In this follow up the chief complaints are better but new problems dominate the case. This case scenario as per CASE VIII needs another remedy based on current remedy image.[1] )
Follow Up ( Acute ) : ( 22nd June, 2022 )
Reduced energy. Not so restless as previously.
Heat in general. (Temp. 100◦ F ) at 4.00 P.M.
Thirsty +3
Prescription : Phosphorus 1 M – single dose.
At 6.30 P.M. ( Temp. 99.5◦ F. )
No change in energy and other measures.
Mother – she has been outside in rain on last Monday and then after she has this kind of temperature fluctuations.
Prescription : Rhus Toxicodendron 30 – every 4 hourly
( As Phosphorus didn’t help her. New remedy has been selected on the basis of current acute conditions.)
Follow Up ( Acute ) : ( 25th June, 2022 )
Temp. was 98.5◦ F for last couple of days. Still not energetic. Poor appetite. Thirsty +3.
Prescription : Wait with S.L.
Follow Up ( Acute ) : ( 26th June, 2022 )
Temp. was 102.2◦ F at 8.00 P.M. Heat in general. Chill absent.
Poor appetite. Thirsty +3. Irritable +2. Drowsy +2.
Aversion to being touched. +3. ( Did not allow the physician to examine her. Previously she was a very calm and happy child. )
Prescription : Bryonia 200 – 1st dose now, 2nd dose at 11 P.M.
Follow Up ( Acute ) : ( 27th June, 2022 )
Child slept from 9 P.M. to 1 P.M. in previous night. 2nd dose of medicine has been given at 1 P.M. Temperature was reduced to 98.5◦ F at that time.
Appetite is improved. Thirsty +3. No irritability.
( Bryonia has indications like continuous low grade fever for many days with intense thirst and irritability. Looking in repertory, Bryonia is also one of the remedies in the rubrics GENERALS – Wet – Getting & Fever – Chill –Absent)
Follow Up ( Acute ) : ( 23rd July, 2022 )
Watery, offensive and sticky stools +3. Passed 3 stools since this morning.
Child runs to bathroom with sudden urging for stools. +2. Also passing stool in pants un-noticed while playing or walking around in house +2.
Irritable +3. Aversion to be touched +2.
Temp. 102◦ F
Prescription : Aloe Socotrine 200 – every 4 hourly
Follow Up ( Acute ) : ( 25th July, 2022 )
No diarrhoea since yesterday. Patient is not irritable now.
Appetite poor +2.
Prescription : wait.
Follow Up ( Acute ) : ( 19th August, 2022 )
Patient had fever with temperature of 102.4◦ F on previous night between 12 to 1 A.M. Parents has waited without medicines and fever reduced by itself. Child was sleepy at that time.
Follow Up : ( 12th September, 2022 )
A random follow-up visit along with her mother who is also taking treatment.
Weight : 11.20 kg.
Good appetite. Improvement in speech and activity. Restlessness +1.
Node in neck region reduced in size.
Thirsty +3. Desires chocolates +2. Salty things +2. Milk +1
No obstinacy. No irritability. Very happy and playful in consultation chamber.
No nose obstruction or coryza noted. No another acute.
Lessons:
- Reversing the suppression of skin eruptions was the first hint that the organism is on the correct path of recovery.
- Treating acute complaints with correct homoeopathic intervention is a must action that every homoeopath should encourage among their patients. Suppression of such acute complaints with allopathic drugs may disrupt the progress of cure.
- Correct treatment of acute fevers lead the organism to a perfect state of health where she didn’t need medicines in her last acute episode.
She has been observed to the month of November as her mother is also my patient. She is enjoying the perfect health to this day.
References :
- Vithoulkas G. – The Science of Homoeopathy, 7th edition, 2014. ( PP. 226, 290)
