Hello,
I have treated my four years old daughter with Silica about two months now based on advice of a reflexologist. She gets aggrevations but does not seem to get any better. She is very close to Silica personality, but I find tuberculinum close, too. Tuberculinum is for precription use only, so I need to see a homeopath. My daughter got routine tuberculine immunization (Calmette) in age of 6 weeks. We live in USA now. Is tuberculinum used by homeopaths here as common as in Europe? How can I make sure that I find a homeopath that has experience in use of it? I can`t start running on (several) homeopaths several times. I need to drive 45 minutes to the closest one in the next town. All this makes me very anxious. My husband is a chemist and hates homeopathy. He can get despising outburst from the first word. How long should I wait after the last dose of Silica before doing anything? Do you have any other opinions? I am not describing my daughter more now to keep this message short. She is not that sick that medical doctors would do anything yet.

Thanks, Marjaana

Dear Marg,

Please stop the Silica immediately.

Homeopathic remedies are generally safe; but when the wrong remedy is repeated over and over again, harm can result.

It is very easy to order Tub. through the mail from a homeopathic pharmacy in Europe, and some pharmacies in the US will send it too, but please tell us why you think she needs Tuberculinum. Did you say she had been vaccinated against tuberculosis and this is why you want Tuberculinum, to antidote the vaccine? This is not how homeopaths treat "never well since vaccination". We try to pick a remedy that matches the symptoms. Frequently the remedy is Thuja, but it would be better if you would tell us what the matter is with your four-year-old girl.

Snoopy

I agree with Snoopy. If your daughter isn't benefitting from the Silica it means it's the wrong remedy and you should stop it immediately. Also, I really don't think it's a good idea for you to prescribe a nosode. This could be harmful if it's not the simillimum, especially in a higher potency. Perhaps you can post your daughter's case here and get some help - without your husband knowing it .

My four and half year old daughter has had swollen tonsils since last March (at least). She had a viral throat infection then (Strep test was negative). She also has chronic constipation and dry lips she is licking constantly. She does other nervous weird things with her lips, too. It would be great to get help to her separation anxiety, too. She has that much more than her peers. Since that infection last March she has slept an hour or two more a day than before.

She is tall and maybe skinny. Arms and legs are thin. Brown hair and brown eyes. She likes to play with a friend or two. Then she is very nice, active and fun. She likes imaginary play, drawing, talking, dancing, flowers, nice dresses. (Sounds like pretty normal little girl.) She does not like competitive or rough games at all. In a big group she gets very reserved, serious and shy. Then she wants mother to be near her. She is smart and alert and would do very well, but she is not ambitious at all. If mother goes somewhere she wants to go, too. She does not want to go to school. People usually think she is older than she really is and are surprised about this separation anxiety. As a baby she used to be afraid of everything. She has never slept a night alone. She wakes up every night to drink some water next to her bed. She used to be really cranky after waking up from the nap. She just wanted to be hold and no talking. And still she might cry half an hour. She still is like that if she takes a nap. Appetite is good, no weird strong likes or dislikes.

I tried Silica 12d about 6 weeks one pill a day starting in May. She got angry, tired and accident prone. Constipation might have gotten worse and some patch of skin got very dry under her lower lip. I have understood that aggrevations mean right remedy, but too high potency. So I went to a lower potency and not so freguent dosage. Aggrevations did decrease and I stopped giving Silica totally about a week ago. (My thought was that If symptoms decrease then stop, although I don`t know if it was symptoms or aggrevations that did decrease. –( I also read warnings about taking too much Silica.)) She got a sore throat and a fever (101F) two days ago. Both are gone now. I`m hoping she is getting better by getting back old ailments. She still has all these symptoms I wrote in the first chapter, nothing is any better yet.

While having fever this week my daughter took naps and was awfully cranky after waking up so I started to think more about Tuberculinum. I have understood that it can be dangerous and I am not going to give that to her by myself now, when I know how sensitive she was to Silica. Tuberculinum type: tall, long fingers, narrow chest, loves to travel is just like me and my husband. And if it is genetical, why could not my daughter be like that, too. How long backwards can this type be inherited? None of my grandparents had TB, but several of their siblings died on it. This homeopathy is quite interesting. I`m sorry, that I don`t know, what these nosodes really mean.

Thanks, Marjaana

Dear Marj,

I repertorized your daughter's case.
I used these rubrics:

1. Children, clinging, take the hand of
mother, will always
2. Children, constipation
3. Children, fearful
4. Children, desires to be held
5. Children, lips, picking of
6. Children, strangers, presence of aggravates
7. Food, thirst, night, waking, on
8. Mind, crying, waking, on

Stramonium comes out in first place. It is a big remedy for fear. Also has the lip picking and crying on waking. Phosphorus was in the #2 position.

If you give me more info, I can add it to my list and perhaps the remedy will change.

Tuberculinum didn't come up. You might want to buy Paul Herscu's books on children.
One is called Stramonium, the other is called
Children's Constitutional Types (I think!).

Then, Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman has a book called Ritalin Free Kids which you might like to read.

Sincerely,

Snoopy

Thank you, Snoopy, for your answer. I was surprised to see Ritalin in it. This child is not hyperactive or violent. She has a long attention span. She was angry, tired and accident prone when taking Silica. Usually she is not. She is not any more. With angry I meant yelling at me, maybe hitting me once a day. Accidents were minor scratches, which made her almost hysterical demanding band-aid. After getting band-aid she is immediately fine. But like I said, usually she is not like that, more the opposite. She is very careful that she does not hurt herself. She is timid. For example she can be afraid that her teeth fell off because of eating candy. That`s why she has to brush her teeth every evening. I never needed to teach her sharing. She is nice (maybe too nice) to other children. She complains to me that others are not nice, and how she is insulted, but then she is very optimistic on how fast they will learn to be nice. (Like tomorrow, because I usually explain, that other children will learn to be nice later). She is afraid of kids she does not know really well. The more if they are loud and especially boys that are older than her. She is afraid that nobody talks to her.

The list Snoopy wrote anyway describes her very well. As extra info I could say sensitive scalp and occasional hesitation or mild stuttering in speech (generally her speech has developed very well and she is bilingual, which explains some hesitation). I don`t know now what else could be relevant. Is Stramonium still coming out? Mention on Ritalin and ADHD made me suspicious. If Stramonium is still valid how should I take it and what kind of reaction and how soon, can I expect? I`ll read the books on it and Ritalin then, too. And should I really forget Silica now?

Thanks, Marjaana

Yes, really forget silica!

I mentioned Ritalin-Free Kids because there are really very few books having to do with children's problems and homeopathy, but that book is one of them. Another one of Judyth's books is Rage-Free Kids. I'm not saying that your daughter has rages, it's just helpful to read these books because all children have annoying problematic behavior to some extent, and these books can offer some insight into which homeopathic remedies cover certain behaviors.

I'll see if her case still repertorizes out to Stramonium and I'll get back to you.

Snoopy

Dear Marj,

I added: Delusion, injury, is about to receive--for her over-concern with safety and fear she is harming her teeth by eating certain things. I also added: Mind, timid.

Stramonium still came in on top.

Phosphorus came in second.

This delusion that she is insulted, or preoccupations with insults, led me to think of staphysagria.

I'm still not confident that I have the complete case, so before I say definitely give stramonium, can you answer the following?

How does your daughter feel about animals, dogs, the dark? Does she ever have night terrors? Frightful dreams? Did you happen to mention what kind of food and drink she desires? What does she like to do? What is she passionate about? Is she a neat child or a messy child? Does she like to take baths and get clean? You say she worries about her teeth. Does she worry in general that she might harm herself or be harmed in some way? Does she worry about getting dirty and germy? Is she warm or chilly? What's her sleep position? How does she feel about dancing and music? Any fear of thunderstorms?

The thing you say she does with her lips, would you call it "making faces"? "Grimacing"? How would you describe it? Has she had a head injury? Is there cancer or diabetes in the family history? Did you say she had enlarged tonsils due to a sore throat? Would you like to describe the sore throat to us in terms of which side of the throat had the pain, what was the sensation, such as burning pain, or as if a splinter, or lump on swallowing, etc.? Better cold drinks or warm drinks? etc. Did the constipation come after the sore throat? When did the constipation and dry lips start?
Is your child a thirsty child despite the dryness?

Thank you,

Snoopy

Dear Snoopy and others,
She likes animals, especially cats. We lost our cat a year ago. Now I have to say we lost the whole home a year ago in a forest fire. She seemed to take it very easy knowing that she also got a baby brother a month before that. I know other kids who had problems when they were not that much directly affected by the fire than she was. She has been very busy with new friends in this apartment complex where we now live in. She is cautious when a dog is around, but that is okey. She does not like to touch insects. No phobias. No nightmares. She does not like dark, but is not terribly scared either. It does not help to sleep with a light on, she needs a person to the same room. Now she has a bunk bed. I go to the bottom bunk with her to help her to fall asleep. I change to top bunk later. She wakes at night, drinks, and usually is fine, if she just hears me being still there. After other arrangements during earlier years, I`m quite happy with this.
She desires ice cream, chocolate, dougnuts, bread with butter, eggs, cheese sticks. She can eat fruits, meat and vegetables. She might ask to drink water, juices, milk – anything.
She likes to do many things at home and at neighbor`s house. To the neighbor she can run without me, but she wants me to be at home then. She plays a lot with Ariel, the mermaid and stuffed animals. She sleeps with her favorite bunny, stuffed animal. She is passionate. She knows how to sexually stimulate herself. She spends a lot of time with neighborhood kids. She does not go far away from home. She likes to take a bath.
She worries about things that I have said to her or has been in a book or a movie etc. She starts worrying very easy. I need to be careful that I don`t scare her by warning too much. One mention is usually enough. She is neat at the table, because I have said so. Clothes can be messy. She likes pretty dresses. She often changes her clothes during the day. Room is messy. She is not afraid of getting dirty or germy. I don`t know if she is warm or chilly. She sleeps on her side (both sides) or on her back. She likes music and loves dancing when she is happy. No fear of thunderstorms for last two years.
She makes her lips wet often with her tongue. She often moves her tongue from side to side inside or outside her mouth. She might move her tongue up and down in her mouth while trying to fall asleep. Sometimes she makes silly faces, too, but in a normal amount.
No head injury. No diabetes in family. Cancer in father`s side.
I noticed the enlargened tonsils when she had a sore throat in March. She had never had so sore throat before. I had not looked at her throat before. Tonsils could got swollen already earlier. I have no details on the sore throat in March. (I didn`t think to use homeopathy then.) Last week she had a sore throat again. Then most pain was when swallowing or opening the mouth very wide. I didn`t ask about the sides. Both sides seem to be enlargened equally.
I remember her singing long time in the bathroom already in January. Then I just thought that she enjoys her time there, but it must have been constipation. She often said to me “not yet” when I asked if she needs help. Dry lips has been awhile, too.
The child does not want to drink continuously but I think she drinks enough.
The sympton added to Snoopy`s list: Delusion, injury, is about to receive, - I want to specify more. Also injury received. She feels insulted over very minor things and then she wants others to apologize. “I am insulted, you/they have to say sorry”. And that is not something she has picked up from me.
Thank you,
Marjaana

Dear Marj,

I just re-read my letter, and I don't think I explained my choice fully enough. Staphysagria is a very sensitive remedy. They are easily insulted at the slightest provocation. They are also indignant, hence the demand for apologies. This over-sensitivity may extend to the physical, in this case, her sensitive scalp. Staphysagria has aggravation from sleep--especially an afternoon nap. You mentioned that she's often too eager to please her friends. This is another Staphysagria trait: eager to please. Oprah Winfrey calls it "the please disease". Stramonium doesn't have this over-sensitivity and desire to please.

Sincerely,

Snoopy