Minutus

Baby eczema case.

Girl just 3 yrs old during first interview. Eczema began at 3 months.
Neither family has history of skin problems but both sides have
diabetes. She has dark skin, dark curly haired, easily bored, active
(a climber), exploring (a handful – always getting into things),
athletic, warm blooded, and is neither heavy nor slim. She is bossy,
jealous (kicks the other babies at childcare), independent and likes
to do things herself but wants mom by her bed to fall asleep. She
didn't speak at all while I was there, was not afraid of me but
stayed away – slightly curious and coy.

This is the parent's first experience with homeopathy which they want
to try before using the drugs given to eczema sufferers. ("I have
taken her to the dermatologist but all they recommend is hydro
cortisone. Now they prescribed her a pro topic cream which I refuse
to use on her ") It took a month between our interview and the child
getting the first dose of the remedy (mom had trouble finding a
bottle, then didn't understand how to make the stock bottle, etc.)

In the initial interview I was told that she had chronic
constipation, hard ball stool, and I used that along with
perspiration during sleep, < winter, < wrists, itching – must scratch
till it bleeds and the suspicion that this is a case of vaccinosis
(the eczema first presented a few weeks after her first round of
vaccinations - she has had 23 vaccines at this time) and chose mez as
her remedy.

After 1 dose of mez LM1, 2 bangs, 2 drops, she began biting and
slapping her parents, laughing and running around. I stopped the
remedy and am studing it again. Upon further questioning the mother
stated: "I really don't know what made her stool change I have notice
that when she eats green plantains that's when she gets constipated
so I don't give her that any more."

I asked her mother to rate the sx on a scale of 1-4, w/4 being the
highest. This is her reply:
"everything is preety much the same except that it looks like her
skin is getting more blochy and dryer she is ripping her skin off
before it never got to that point she is getting alot of hic ups. Her
skin is getting soo ugly.
drinks she always wants that will be a 4
water a 4
anger only when she doesn't get what she wants
feer when alone is a 4
loud noises 4 or objects she has not seen before she will be afraid
of.
and she always has an appetite 4"

These are the rubrics I am considering:

Stomach; THIRST; waking, on (15)
Stomach; THIRST; small quantities, for; often (30)
Stomach; APPETITE; constant (19)
Stomach; HICCOUGH; children, in (18)
Generalities; FOOD and drinks; ice; desires (19)
Generalities; FOOD and drinks; cheese; desires (23)
Generalities; FOOD and drinks; fish; desires (28)
Generalities; FOOD and drinks; water; desires (6)
Generalities; FOOD and drinks; milk; agg.; children, in (2)
Mind; THROWS; herself; floor, on; opposed, when, and cannot get his
breath (1)
Mind; ANGER, irascibility; general; temper tantrums; falls on the
floor kicking and screaming (1)
Mind; ANGER, irascibility; general; temper tantrums (38)
Mind; FEAR; general; noise, from (55)
Mind; FEAR; general; undertaking anything; enterprise, a new (4)
Mind; DICTATORIAL, domineering, dogmatic, despotic (37)
Mind; DICTATORIAL, domineering, dogmatic, despotic (37)
Mind; CLIMB, desire to (8)
Extremities; ERUPTIONS; itching; upper limbs; wrists (8)
Extremities; ITCHING; upper limbs; elbows; left (1)
Skin; ITCHING; scratch, must; until it bleeds (23)
Skin; ERUPTIONS; general; vaccination, after (7)
Skin; ERUPTIONS; general; winter; agg. (21)

I am thinking nux-v, but I am worried as she is so sensitive.
Thanks so much,
Lynn,NYC

Some comments:
1)I think you are doing good with case taking and the prescription

2)I thought that LM potencies were innocent like the driven snow as
againt the barbaric C potencies...and esp.so for children...so how
come the aggravation?

the new symptoms - do they look like Mezereum proving?

3)From the rubrics I would probably remove the following:

Generalities; FOOD and drinks; water; desires (6) ( covered by Thirst)
Generalities; FOOD and drinks; milk; agg.; children, in (2)--- ( Take
the general rubric)
Mind; THROWS; herself; floor, on; opposed, when, and cannot get his
breath (1) ---------Remove
Mind; ANGER, irascibility; general; temper tantrums; falls on the
floor kicking and screaming (1)( temper tantrums covers this)
Mind; FEAR; general; undertaking anything; enterprise, a new (4)
------Remove
Mind; DICTATORIAL, domineering, dogmatic, despotic (37) -----Remove
Mind; CLIMB, desire to (8) -------Remove
S kin; ERUPTIONS; general; vaccination, after (7)---------Remove (
assumed) The fact that this started in 3 months might suggest this -
we can use the remedies here for confirming but not for initial work-up

See what you get now...

Also there is a rubric Eruptions Eczema in infants ( Knerr) and a
bunch of remedies for that...

Also that she has increased appetite ( is that abnormally increased? I
would say to an extent it is healthy appetite....) and increased
thirst- does it not look like diabetes for which there is a family
history ( she might not have actual diabetes but these symptoms look
interesting)

How was mother's health during pregnancy - any unusual symptoms,
medication?

Dear hahnemannian2002,
Thank you so much for responding.

Yes, I was also surprised at the reaction to one LM1 dose.
I used only 2 bangs and 2 drops because I surmised that she was very
sensitive but…
it was a very strong mind reaction and her skin has been very bad
since (she is also < cold weather & it has gotten winter cold here.)

I am perplexed as to whether this was a mez agg as I have not been
able to find this behavior under mez.
Does anyone have this info/experience? (Biting & slapping parents and
laughing – she had never done this before.)
I have seen a baby eczema case agg mentals after a remedy in just
this manner (specifically a nux-v case w/skin & behavior %95 better
since adjusting the potency & dose and at this time we are taking a
break and watching.)

As far as your questions:
Mother had a healthy pregnancy (her second) & says that she was happy
but a "bit worried about her husband" (I think that he might/was
fool/ing around but she didn't say as he was right there during our
interview.)

My old macrep has only: Face; ERUPTIONS; eczema; infants (2): corn.,
dulc.

Her appetite is not "increased" but constant.

I am using diff rubrics as either her mother is not clear about
specifics, does not understand the diff between pathological and
normal response (constipation after plantains), or the sx change
(puls?)

Stomach; HICCOUGH; children, in (18)
Stomach; THIRST; small quantities, for; often (30)
Stomach; APPETITE; constant (19)
Generalities; FOOD and drinks; ice; desires (19)
Generalities; FOOD and drinks; cheese; desires (23)
Generalities; FOOD and drinks; fish; desires (28)
Generalities; FOOD and drinks; milk; agg. (86)
Mind; ANGER, irascibility; general; temper tantrums (38)
Mind; FEAR; general; noise, from (55)
Extremities; ERUPTIONS; itching; upper limbs; wrists (8)
Extremities; ITCHING; upper limbs; elbows; left (1)
Extremities; ITCHING; lower limbs; knees; hollow of (29)
Skin; ITCHING; scratch, must; until it bleeds (23)
Skin; ERUPTIONS; general; winter; agg. (21)
Skin; ERUPTIONS; desquamating; general; scales, white (10)

Additional new rubrics I'm not including in the mix:
Face; ERUPTIONS; eczema; infants (2)
Stomach; HICCOUGH; eating; agg.; after (61)
Stomach; HICCOUGH; drinking, after (9)

I am scheduling a follow up for next week but in the meantime the
poor baby is really suffering w/her skin desquamating and itching so
badly that I feel that I need to find the correct rem asap.

I am looking to the list members for their thoughts.

Thank you again for your consideration.
My best,
Lynn
--- In minutus@yahoogroups.com, "hahnemannian2002"
wrote:
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Repertory of The Child's Mind and Behaviour with notes on taking the Child's Case, Peter L Tuminello.
Also wrote Twelve Jewels, Jean

Hi Lynn,
There's another possibility besides proving!
I was taught--and seem to have seen once or twice--that a possible
reaction to a remedy that's "close, but not quite" is intensification
of symptoms which, together with the older or previously clearer
symptoms, should guide to the needed remedy. So that's what I'd
pursue. (Biting, also ??mischievous? teasing? "wants to fight"?, or
??)
Best wishes,
Shannon

Well said, Shannon. Is it possible that Med could be a useful remedy for this child?
Rosemary

Actually, Med is just what jumped to my mind!
My son went thru a charming phase at about age four, where he suddenly
found it just a wondrous delight to provoke me, and when he'd finally
pushed me to where I (even if not actually angry) felt I just *had* to
do some discipline, which at that point meant time out, his eyes would
sparkle, he'd grin, and as I carried him to his time-out (forget about
telling him to go), would punch, kick and chomp on me for all he was
worth. I wrestled with this for week after week... He just found it
so entertaining! When on one episode decided to give a spank in an
effort to end it, his eyes sparkled as he smacked me back. Whew. Back
to holding him down for his time-out.

It was just a day or so after that, that chewing thru Herscu's book,
section on Med, made me realize that was what he needed--despite my
then-current homeopath's assurance that he *couldn't* need Med, because
(whatever)... Shortly (hours?) after I gave it to him another occasion
came up where previously he would have dug in his heels and picked a
fight. I could see the thought cross his mind (his small smile), then
something like Ah, why bother... And instead he did what I'd asked, we
went on with our day, and that stuff just never came up again. (It's
now almost nine years later.)

So... That image of her smiling as she hits and bites... And med does
have eczema, not sure about the details... But there are probably
other possibilities too.

Oh, and in that case the issue might not be about sensitivity, might
not be the "fault" of LM, just that her vital force is going, "Not
*that* remedy--give me something for *this*!"

I look forward to hearing what happens!
Shannon

Would there be sleeping on tummy and night energy if Medorrhinum. Feel that Mother's. state somehow must be included. The smiling and laughing while kicking certainly intriguing even paradoxical, Jean

Like Shannon said if the remedy is not the simillimum but close to
it , newer,clearer symptoms might appear. So you can analyse the
case again and prioritize the symptoms and work it out...

If none of the new symptoms is from Mezereum, include the new
symptoms and make a prescription. Usually if the symptoms change
pointing to a new one then you can change the prescription. New
symptoms still pointing to the same remedy then we need to wait or
sometimes if there is associated discomfort go higher or lower (
once again authorities vary)-

In this case if the laughing, biting and kicking part ( this is part
of playing or is the biting when the child is angry?) is prominent
then you can prescribe based on that....
--- In minutus@yahoogroups.com, "lynnpax" wrote:
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Lynn,
I don't have time to review in great detail, but quickly reading through the rubrics, I would investigate something from the solanacea family - based on jealousy and fear, hypersensitive, explosive behavior, milk agg. Possibly Mandragora (desire for cheese) or Belladonna (as a chronic) which has the laughing, hiccoughs, eczema, kicking, perspiring during sleep, sensitive to noise, and mind - fears and jealousy. Ask if baby had fever just after birth. Also has NWS vaccination (Petrucci). Deprivation - feels unloved...always has an appetite??
Realize possible agg but rubric: mind, laughing alternating with violence: stramonium, crocus sativus.
Lastly, never under estimate the power of an LM. They can aggravate well. Might consider giving first dose with a dilution glass.
If you think agg from Mez, you can possibly antidote with a 6c in water. However, consider the laughing and violent behavior may be from yeast/toxin die off and not necessarily direct accessory symptom of the remedy. But eczema clearly agg. so you must do something to reduce it. (Can use lower potency like 6c or 12c.)
Now that you know how sensitive this patient is... perhaps you could start the next remedy with 6c in water (as with LMs), then progress to 30c before switching over to LM1. Or if you start with LM1, something like 1 drop, 2 or 3 dilution glasses and 1/2 tsp or even 1 or 2 drops from the final dilution glass. Sounds quirky but works.
FWIW...
Truly,
Erica