This one has us (myself and our homeopath) stumped. My daughter is almost 4 and has very slow moving bowels, so a little comes out all the time. It's making potty training difficult as you can imagine! We've tried lots of remedies and nothing has worked. I think a lot of it is mental as she waits so long then it's so big that it hurts so she holds it in etc...! it's a circle, I know. She also does not eat a lot and does not get the proper roughage. Her mental state is good she is quite happy and outgoing. She has a very white complexion with red hair. She had red areas of skin rash on legs and forarms but that has cleared up with sulfer(one of the ones we tried, some others-silica, OV. 200, CA-S 200). Any Ideas would be appreciated, maybe we're missing something.She eats mostly bread, crackers, cereal, apples, peas and corn (only vegetables!)chips, Milk, juice, water. She also still wants to nurse a little but will go without quite happily. She stays up quite late at night but doesn't sleep in too much.I know , she's spoiled a bit! She's very lovey and affectionate and very calm. She doesn't seem to have any fears except fireworks, and to some extent thunderstorms.Hope this gives a bit of a picture, and maybe someone sees sonething we don't. Thanks again!,
W.C.

I'm not up on alot of homeopathy but I do know what has worked for several children. ALoe vera juice 2 or 3 ounces mixed with apple or white grape juice and acidolphus from the health food store helps.

Hi Westcoast
Along with a remedy to be found for her apprehension to go, Kiwi fruit and prune juice do soften the stool quite a bit.
Claudia

I can see why you'd all thought of Silicea.
"Stool comes down with difficulty...retained for fear of pain." I'm wondering if you gave up on it too soon. Did you repeat the dosage? I usually prescribe on the lower end of the scale of potencies so that they can be repeated with little risk of aggravation. Also, if the child is by nature, placid and easy-going (on a good day), or peevish (on a bad day) then she may have moved from a Pulsatilla fundamental state to the chronic, which is Silicea. Remember "if improvement ceases under Silicea a dose or two of Sulphur will set up reaction, and Silicea will then complete the cure" Quote taken from Frans Vermeulen 'Concordant Materia Medica'.

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Chris Gillen
Member AHA (Australia)

Thank you all for the replies. We'll work on some of the ideas! I'll try the Aloe juice if I can get her to drink it!! We did try silica a couple of times and had some success. Maybe try it again for a longer time.
Thank you all again!
W.C.

This problem is best sorted by seeing a local professional classical homeopath who will take a full case history and find a remedy based on the child as an individual rather than a disease symptom.

I had a 3yr old with a similar problenm. She used to hide under the table when she got the urge to stop herself from going. The parents were out of their mind with worry and regularly used to take the child to the hospital for an enema. basically Sulphur (200C) suited this child and in 6 months she is going a few times a week and taking herself to the toilet rather than being nagged, bribed etc. At one point I changed to Calc 200 but returned to the Sulphur after a month or two.

I have another patient age 15 who admitted she could hold on for a month as to her a stool is disgusting. She now goes a couple of times a week after only 3 months treatment. The remedy which suited her was Nat.Mur one dose 1M which brought out a Thuja picture, one dose 200. She came to me for depression and this was a "by the way" symptom.

What I am trying to say is that the remedy given must fit the patient's totallity of symptoms.

[This message has been edited by Ricky (edited 17 March 2001).]

From the brief information given it is one of four remedies (none being Silica).
A competent homoeopath should be able to sort this out easily - if yours cannot - change!

Look for info on encopresis. It may very well be and will give you more of an insight on treatments

Hey Anna Bryant, From the brief information given in the original posting, the most obvious symptom causing distress is inactivity of the rectum with difficult stool.
If your using a repertory with the rubric, Rectum,difficult stool (Inactivity) scroll down to between the remedies Sepia and Stannun and my bet is you'll see silicea. If the repertory you're using does not mention Silicea then may I be so bold as to suggest you change to a more competent repertory.
Best wishes,
Chrisg

Was she on tin food?

The problem seems to be in the sluggish peristaltic movement. We should be looking at the king of digestive process (Liver) as well.

As far as I can see, it could be Bryonia, Alumina, Nux Vomica?