Hi Tamara,
Sorry for the delay in responding to your e-mail. If you are you
still interested in getting other opinions on the developmentally
arrested teen case, this is what I came up with in analyzing this
case.
From your description, he appears to be a child who has a deep need
for social contact and re-assurance. Certain behaviors confirm this
and they are described as follows:
"He likes getting lots of attention and acceptance
from people",
"He likes to greet people when they visit or go to church" ,
"When getting off the bus he always thanks the driver" ,
"He asks for hugs" and especially
"He loves touching everyone. He often gets into trouble at school for
touching other kids" - a particular sx that seem to be the physical
expression of this need.
Furthermore, he seems to be concerned of other people's opinion and
what he appears to be looking for is the confirmation that he's got
their attention and acceptance, as he would be in danger of loosing
it and his relationship with others was at risk to be broken.
" At the end of the school day he will always ask the teacher "did I
behave good?".
" He asks "do you love me?" a lot"
"He will ask the same question over and over and over."
By displaying a cheerful and friendly attitude he is probably getting
what he is looking for most of the times. But what happens if he
doesn't? He becomes aggressive:
"In kindergarten he would push the kids to get their attention. He
only does this sometimes now." This looks like: " If you don't want
me, I don't want you either." Further inquiry into other signs of
irritability and /or aggressivity is worthwhile.
In my opinion, all these acts are the expression of an underlying
feeling of insecurity, which seems to represent the essence of the
case. Is this coming from the absence of the father? Possibly. The
boy is definitely missing him: "He often asks to see his father's
picture"
He seems to unconsciously be compensating this feeling by eating a
lot and drinking a lot. A strong desire for sweets is typically the
expression of the need for affection.
The general aspects in his development are dominated by slowness
(walking late, speaking late, and also diagnosed with "global
developmental disorder")
I took the rubrics (Radar)
MIND - INSECURITY; mental
MIND - SENSITIVE - opinion of others; to the
MIND - TOUCHING everything; impelled to
MIND - AFFECTIONATE
MIND - SOCIABILITY
MIND - CHEERFUL – causeless
MIND - LAUGHING – easily
MIND - SLOWNESS
MIND - SPEECH - hasty
GENERALS - EATING - fast
STOMACH - THIRST - large quantities, for
STOMACH - THIRST – night
The remedies that came up are: Ars, Sacch, Sulph, and Bry.
We can exclude Ars, as it is a chilly remedy, whereas the patient is
hot and sweats easily.
I think there is a strong possibility that Saccharum Officinale
matches the case. He is not as self-centered as you would expect a
Sulphur patient to be, nor has he a significant amount of Bryonia's
irritability. But this needs to be confirmed.
I checked the description of Saccharum Officinale patient on Tinus
Smits' web site:
http://www.tinussmits.nl and it seems to match this
case. He has the best description of this remedy.
Other rubrics where Sacch is present:
MIND - CONFIDENCE - want of self-confidence - support; desires -
family and friends; from
GENERALS - FOOD and DRINKS - cold drink, cold water - desire
GENERALS - FOOD and DRINKS - meat - desire
GENERALS - FOOD and DRINKS - milk - desire - cold
GENERALS - FOOD and DRINKS - spices - desire
GENERALS - FOOD and DRINKS - sweets - desire
GENERALS - FOOD and DRINKS - vegetables - desire - raw
GENERALS - OBESITY - children, in
I think that you would still need to find out what are his
reactions/behavior when hungry; before eating and after eating; does
he eat a lot of sweets? How is he acting after eating sweets? – in
order to confirm the remedy.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
Liana
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Tamara Der-Ohanian wrote:
Here is the case:
I talked to the mother today and she told me he has had all the usual
vaccinations to date. First she had told me he had not been
vaccinated.
English is not her first language so it could have been a
misunderstanding.
Physical appearance: Male - 14 years old. He is of average height
and
stocky built - perhaps 20lbs overweight. His left eye droops a
little
and he is cross-eyed. Other than that he appears normal. He is near
sighted and has been wearing glasses since the age of 4-5 (< L eye).
He
is always smiling and happy. Sometimes he giggles continuously for no
reason.
Medical History: The mother is 41 and healthy. She has no idea
about
the father's health, except that he was on cocaine while the baby was
conceived. The father disappeared when the boy was 3 years old.
They
have not heard from him since or know of his whereabouts. The
maternal
grandparents have stroke, arthritis and high cholesterol. The
patient
has had chicken pox, bronchitis (2-3X) and eczema as a child.
Pregnancy: progressed well. He was born 2 weeks late - induced
labour.
He was breast fed for 8 months.
At one month he was having nightmares (according to mother) in his
sleep. He would cry, but not wake up.
When he was 5-6 months old, the mother noticed that something was
wrong.
He would stare into space for long periods.
He walked at 14 months, and started saying a few words at 3 years
old.
At 5 years he was diagnosed with "global developmental disorder" In
kindergarten he would push the kids to get their attention. He only
does this sometimes now.
Prior to being circumcised at age 2, he would get infections under
the
foreskin.
He gets out of bed easily and has lots of energy in the a.m.
Appetite: He LOVES to eat. He always says "I'm hungry". He eats
everything and anything. He eats very fast. Loves spicy foods.
Loves
meat and rice. Loves all vegetables and fruits. Loves all dairy.
Loves
sweets. He has no aversion to foods. He loves cold water, milk and
orange juice and is very thirsty. Sometimes he will take other kids'
food away at school. When told to give it back, he readily
complies.
Temp: He is hot and sweats very easily - can be clammy
He loves children and music. He smiles when he hears music and
starts
walking around happily.
Sleep: He is in the habit of drinking a few glasses of water before
bed. He wakes up at least once to urinate, and goes right back to
sleep. He is a restless sleeper and sleeps in the fetal position on
either side.
Digestion is normal
Bowels are notmal - move 3 times a day
Urination is normal.
He was touching his genitals occasionally, but in the last month or
so
has started doing it more regularly.
As baby he had eczema on L then R foot.
Had lots of ear infections as a kid and had to have tubes put in at
age
3
Personality: Very affectionate and loves touching everyone. He
often
gets into trouble at school for touching other kids. He especially
likes touching the girls. He asks for hugs and asks "do you love
me?"
a
lot. He likes to greet people when they visit or go to church. When
getting off the bus he always thanks the driver. He is very friendly
and will talk to anyone. He likes getting lots of attention and
acceptance from people. At the end of the school day he will always
ask
the teacher "did I behave good?".
He speaks very fast and it is difficult to understand him. It almost
sounds like he is speaking a different language. He will ask the
same
question over and over and over.
He often asks to see his father's picture.
He once stabbed his hand with a pencil at school, because he was told
he
could not go out and play until he finishes his assignment.
Tics: He used to snap his fingers all the time from grade 3 - 4.
Now
he sticks his tongue out a lot.
Fears: being alone, the dark, ALL animals including insects.