Hi. I look after an eleven month old who is just learning to walk. This means that he is forever falling over and on tuesday he fell over hitting his head on a wooden bed frame and then his shoulder on the wooden floor. He now has a small bruise on his head and a fractured clavicle (collar bone). On monday he was almost totally unresponsive. all he wanted to do was to lay on my front and occasionally lift his head to whimper before putting it cack down again. the doctor checked him out and said that he didn't have concussion and that he didn't think anythingwas broken. His breathing seemed to be a little slower then but not markedly and he seemed to be in pain from athe slightest movement and tender all over although except for a small bruise on his head which has not come out at all he hasn't had a mark on him. Yesterday he was able to move around more and was standing again. Whenever he tried to crawl though, he would be in pain and was clearly protecting his right arm. His spirits were up but he was clearly in pain and very glassy eyed. nose was running a fair bit which it often does - clear mucus. We had him x rayed and he has a fracture in his clavicle on the right side.
today he is much happier and is back to his old self almost. He's getting about very happily although still a little protective of his right side and still tenses if we forget and pick him up under his arms instead of his butt. However he has developed a raspy chesty cough with raspy breathing. He had his ribs checked out so it is not those and his nose is still running. He is having trouble sleeping as he generally sleeps on his front - doubly difficult with a broken bone and not being able to breathe properly.

We have given him arnica every few hours which seems to really be helping with the pain but was wondering if there is a remedy which would target both the pain and the rasp chest and would aid in the bone recovery. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Generally he is a very happy social little boy. an early talker who loves people and being outside. A little picky with food but no obvious likes of dislikes, fears, etc.

If anyone can help him, his mum and i would be very grateful

Please look up Bryonia and see if it fits his case as this may help the pain. It was this that helped me so much when I couldn't breathe after pulling an intercostal muscle between my ribs. The keynote of the remedy is that the person tries to stay still because it hurts to move. Re the fracture , Symphytum 6 , taken a couple of times a day will speed up the healing of the fracture.

But please don't give him more than one remedy at one time!
If he needs Arnica, for example - give only Arnica and see how it goes for him before changing to another remedy.

If the Arnica has helped, I wouldn't be too quick to change it. However, it may be that something else is indicated.

Also -- which potency did you give him? How many doses so far?
If he shows improvement after a dose - don't give him another dose -- WAIT.
If he then relapses (the same symptoms come back) -- give a further dose. Then wait and see how long it works.
If he shows improvement for the same amount of time as before - and then relapses, you can give yet another dose.
However, if the improvement lasts a shorter time and doesn't seem to be working as well as before - then you need to consider either increasing the potency - or reviewing his symptoms to see if another remedy is now indicated.

If you're not really sure how to choose a remedy --- please make sure you post any other symptoms you observe in terms of what seems to soothe his pain or make it worse (for the broken bone -- but also with his breathing - what makes it better/worse). Since it's an acute injury, I'm sure someone here will try and help.

I'll have a look again tommorrow to see if you've posted again. In the meantime, someone else might be online to help out if you report anything else.

Bless his little heart. I hope he feels better soon!!
Best wishes,
Lisa

__________________
"The significance of a fact is measured by the capacity of the observer."
Carroll Dunham

Thanks Lisa

I have been giing him arnica 30c every few hours as i read an article in Homeopathy today where they suggested to do that for fractures for the first few days. it certainly seems to be helping. as of the end of today, he seems to be in no pain unless someone picks him up under the arms and weare obviously not doing that. he can put weight on the arm now to crawl and doesn't seem to be in pain when rolling over. Occasionally he jars it and yelps but overall he seems to be pain free and the bruise on his head has never got past the initial discolouration. it looks like he's had a slight knock a week ago and its almost gone. Not a mark on his body where the break is and there's been no swelling at all.

The raspy cough is still there. it sounds croupy, ie. like his airways are swelling so he has to rasp for air. It's definitely worse when he's asleep and just before and after his naps. Better for being outside and occupied. He's not drinking his milk which he usually goes but that goes along with not being able to breathe to well as he can't suck for long without having to come up for air. I get the feeling and i don't know but it almost seems like his entire body was in shock the day he fell and i'm wondering if the chest symptoms are some kind of reaction to that; like the physical manifestation of that shock leaving the body. Do you think that can happen?

Emma

Hi Emma,

Since the pain is much improved like you said - I would stop giving him the Arnica and see if he continues to improve.

He likely was in a bit of shock from the fall/injury.
However, I'm not sure what to make of the raspy cough.
If the cough is productive - I'd be inclined to leave it alone and let it run it's course.
If his nose is still running - I'd be inclined to think that's a good sign.

If the cough is not improving - then I'd be inclined to take him to a homeopath who can assess his full case.

Maybe someone else here could give their opinion on your question about the cough and how it fits in to everything. I'm not so sure it's part of the acute situation.

Best wishes,
Lisa

__________________
"The significance of a fact is measured by the capacity of the observer."
Carroll Dunham