Case 2: Brent

Brent was a homeopathy baby. What we mean by this is that his mother became pregnant with him shortly after being given Lycopodium for her endometriosis-related infertility. She first brought Brent to see us when he was ten months old. His chief complaint was otitis media and recurrent colds. At four months he took a trip to Connecticut with his parents. Since that time he suffered from cold after cold. A month before we first saw him, he was treated with Amoxycillin for otitis. He was unresponsive to treatment and was subsequently given Sulfa for two weeks, which resulted in a rash.

Brent was born with a right-sided bronchial cleft cyst (2).He was circumcised when he was one day old. He had received all of his immunizations. There was no family history of cancer, gonorrhea, or TB. Brent's mother's was still breastfeeding him four times a day at the time of his first visit. The otitis developed immediately after they fed him cheese. He had received an HIB immunization the day before, which produced a welt. He was at the 50th percentile of height and weight levels He had a huge head. Brent was late to teethe and slow to walk.

Brent's otitis was bilateral. He yawned for two days, then developed a 102 degrees F fever three days later. He became irritable and fussy. He wanted to be carried all the time or he cried. During the otits, he was generally more easily frustrated. He started drooling at nine months and continued to do so during the otitis. The otitis was resolved by the time she brought Brent to see us, however she wanted him to be treated homeopathically to prevent future episodes and to help his behavioral problems.

Brent became moody (2), screamed (2), and was very contrary (2). He stopped crying when his mother carried him (2). Some days he would experience five to ten little screaming fits a day. His mother first noticed this tendency at two months and it became progressively worse over the past two months. He had little patience (1). He didn't like to be alone (2) and cried when strangers came too close (2).

He was a picky eater. He liked apple sauce (2), cheese (3), and salty foods (2). He was not very thirsty nor was he a particularly enthusiastic nurser. He slept fourteen hours a day, lying on his abdomen or side.

Now, study both of these cases, then turn to page ___ for the case analyses.

Alan:

We gave Alan one dose of Cina 200C. Cina (Worm-seed) is a well-known homeopathic remedy for children who are cross, contrary, and disobedient. It is said that these children have the most difficult behavior or any child except those needing Stramonium. Stramonium children are even more violent and malicious. Boericke describes Cina children as having an "abnormal consciousness, as if having committed some evil deed". They are capricious and like to be rocked and carried, as does Chamomilla. Cina is often associated with pinworms, causing anal itching. Children needing Cina often grind their teeth, have ravenous appetites and sometimes large bellies, and may have seizures. These children also bore their fingers into their noses and ears to relieve the itching. They desire sweets. Cina children can salivate, but not as prominently as those needing Mercurius.

At his next appointment six and a half weeks later, the warts on the bottom of his foot were completely gone. Alan's mother considered the disappearance of the warts "amazing in itself". His teeth grinding was much reduced. His mother described now him as "your normal average kid". There were no more slugging matches or temper tantrums. He was less defiant. He had heavy deep breathing when he didn't get his way, but no longer said he had a bad mommy. The salivation was much better and the nose picking improved by 80%. He went through a really hungry period for about one week after the remedy during which his appetite could not be satisfied. He was no longer fixated on violence. He was not complaining of bone aching. He had no gas. He still talked loudly (2). He experienced anal itching only twice.