The Problem Child and Homeopathy

64 Pages·2016·0.59 MB·English

by  Gupta A.K.

Encyclopaedia Homeopathica 1
GUPTA A. K., The Problem Child and Homoeopathy (gtk1)
GUPTA A. K.

Foreword
I have gone through the book The Problem Child and Homoeopathy by Dr. A.K. Gupta. The first thing that impressed me is
that Dr. Gupta has confronted the various problems met in daily practices in a direct way without beating about the bush
and has come out with ready solution to these problems including the homoeopathic medicines which can be considered
for these conditions. I am sure this book would be found useful for the busy practitioners as well as lay-men and would
be well received.
(Dr. D.P. Rastogi)
Director, Central Council of Research in Homoeopathy

Preface
As the name signifies this book deals with the problems of children which make them 'the problem child' for the parents
and others.
Since my childhood I often used to think how a doctor comes to know what a crying child is crying for. I realised this only
after becoming a doctor that it is not always very difficult to find out the cause of child's crying. The cause could be
very simple like hunger, overclothing etc. Is it not strange that infants get bored, need attention like the warmth and
the comfort of the lap of mother? A child knows the mood of the father, gets the impression of the family atmosphere,
and surroundings but it is all true! The budding child needs a perfect mixture of love, affection and care, lest all
behavioral and resultant physical ailments crop up.
This booklet is written to deal with all such maladies and situations like, why and how a child becomes "The Problem Child"?
How one can prevent it? What parents should do to manage it? Can it be treated with homoeopathy? I have discussed the
various situations of neonates to adolescents including the infants and young school children's psychological, behavioral
problems and habits which if they develop then, definitely they need to be taken care of. I have discussed these under
specific headings which are prevelent at specific age groups. I have given few clinical examples also for the convenience
of the readers. A separate chapter of interesting clinical case histories and the approach to select the homoeopathic
remedy for them is included for understanding the approach to deal such cases. Here, the observation of physician and
his understanding of the child psychology is put to test. I have used annexures also for the reference and use.

I am sure this comprehensive work of mine would be useful, practical compadium to fresh doctors and the busy
practitioners too.
I must thank M/s B. Jain Publishers for their kind co-operation for publishing my maiden venture.
2nd March, 1995
j-158, Rajouri Garden, Dr. A. K. Gupta
New Delhi - 110027

Introduction
Psychological disorders of children
In this chapter I would like to discuss the very annoying and difficult problem invariably faced by the parents, is the
© Copyright 2000, Archibel S.A.
Encyclopaedia Homeopathica 2
behaviour of the children. It is seldom understood by the anxious parents, why their child is behaving in that particular
manner? This looks quite abnormal to them. Interestingly after a deep probing the cause normally found out was some
kind of unhealthy environment or interaction with the parents at home. To their pleasant surprise with little effort of
the physician and some reformation in their own attitude and environment brings out very fantastic results in the form
of the same child becoming absolutely normal and pleasing personality.
Adults can express their internal distress verbally, since the child may not be able to express verbally, he expresses it by
way of physical symptoms which vary according to the level of development of the child. These problems may be
produced by variety of physical and emotional causes such as birth defects, physical injury marital conflicts of parents,
child beating, child neglect and chronic illness etc.
Parents get frequently concerned whether the particular behaviour of their child is 'normal' or whether they need to seek
medical help for the same. Certainly if the characteristic of the child behaviour causes problems to other children,
parents, teachers and others and they have failed in their efforts to tackle his undesirable behaviour, this is where
Homoeopathy does wonders in treating such difficult problems with sweet pills and absolutely easy for children to get
cured.

The common behavioral problems which make a child "The Problem Child" are listed according to age at which they are most
likely manifested.
Infancy (0-2 years)
(i) Persistent Weeping and Crying
(ii) PICA (mud, chalk, sand etc.) and other eating disturbances.
(iii) Head Banging, Pulling of hair
(iv) Breath Holding.
(v) Thumb Sucking
(vi) Excessive fear.
(vii) Fear of separation or of left alone or excessive dependency.
Pre school age (2-6 years)
(i) Nightmares or sleep disturbances.
(ii) Tantrums and temper with aggressiveness, Hyper-activity.
(iii) Crying, shouting, jealousy to siblings, clinging to mother or emotional reactions.
(iv) Enuresis (Bed wetting) and Encopresis.
(v) Masturbation.
(vi) Nail biting and Thumb sucking.
(vii) Stammering, stuttering lalling or speech disturbances.
(viii) Tics or habit spasms.

School age (6-13 years)
(i) School Phobia.
(ii) Comprehending or learning difficulties. Dyslexia.
(iii) Obstinacy, stubbornness and dependency.
(iv) Anti-Social behaviour like lying, stealing and vandalism etc.
adolescence (13 years and above)
(i) Masturbation.
(ii) Sexual indulgence like homosexuality lesbianism, incest and heterosexuality.
(iii) Criminal activities or delinquent behaviour.
(iv) Suicidal thoughts and tendency.
© Copyright 2000, Archibel S.A.
Encyclopaedia Homeopathica 3
There are nearly as many occasions that a child is brought to the doctor because of behavioral problems or difficulties as
for acute illness. Unlike acute illness, in which there is usually a simple clear-cut cause and treatment, behavioral
problems require time, patience and understanding to sort out. Some of these problems are discussed here.

Persistent weeping or crying
All babies cry, some are placid and happy babies and others are not so contented. Beyond the range of normal there are
children or infants who cry nearly all the time and particularly at night. As in all situations a clinical evaluation is essential
to exclude rare but serious organic conditions such as Intussusception, Strangulated hernia, Otitis media, or even acute
Osteitis or Arthritis. Injury is an important consideration to be looked into. Poor feeding techniques, or even the
possibility of intolerance of cow's milk proteins may give rise to gastrointestinal colic. Having carefully considered all the
possibilities, one is often left with a screaming and desperate child and tired and very fraught parents. It is often
difficult to see when the trouble began because crying child upsets the parents and upset parents further upset the
child and it becomes a vicious circle. Infants can not communicate in any other way than crying. Crying with different
degrees means different things and accordingly a physician evaluates it as a symptom in various degrees. Excessive
crying is a common problem in children. Its cause is often baffling and to an initiated physician often frustrating. IN
many instances it is important to realize that there may be a problem of initial bonding. The child who is aware that
emotionally rejected can become very irritable and cry increasingly. A thorough understanding of the psychological needs
and pathological procedures which may lead to crying is essential while trying to discover the causes of crying in a given
child. In the hands of a mother who has no great feelings for the baby (especially girls), child is very much at risk to
non-accidental injury. Likewise, the insecure mother who senses her anxiety may also get to the point of loss of control
after a prolonged period of enduring the screaming child and lack of sleep. In both cases it is important to be prepared
to spend time in order to get to the bottom of things.

Now, every crying child can not be quieted with the dose of Chamomilla. Crying as a presenting problem is more common in
infancy. It is largely because the infant has no other means of communication. So whether the child is thirsty, hungry,
uncomfortable, insecure, lonely, frustrated, afraid or having any pain, he just cries. And any situation which leads to
crying, if not resolved or properly understood may lead to persistent crying. Of course, personality of individual child has
also a great influence in the frequency and persistence of crying. Here, I am reminded of a child who was crying
furiously. The child was given all possible household measures as told by elders like massaging the abdomen, giving the
feed, Gripe water, putting in front of the cooler. Taking the child on lap and moving slowly would give little respite to the
child but the moment child used to be put on the bed, he would wake up and howl and cry endlessly beyond tolerance,
finally the child was brought to me. After listening to their tale I looked into the ear for the purpose of examination but
found nothing wrong, abdomen was also abdomen was also ok. Suddenly I saw a safety pin which was put on the child's
shirt was unhooked and then I realised the actual problem. The moment they used to put the child on the bed this pin use
to hurt the delicate body and the child was screaming with pain. By unfastening the safety pin from the shirt child was
restored to normal peaceful sleep with in no time. After this incident I have made a point to first of all look for very
small and petty causes before going in for other causes of crying in children and also look into the situation prevailing
around them.

Thirst is a common cause of crying particularly in our country. It is often understood that infants require comparatively
much larger volumes of fluids than adults. The high Sodium content of cow's and buffalo's milk also dictates that the
infant on top milk be given more water. Similarly, when solid foods are started, free water requirement goes up. If an
infant is crying because of thirst, he is unlikely to be satisfied with milk. He may briefly go in for the bottle or breast,
but rejects it soon as he discovers it is milk and not water. I have seen this behaviour particularly in infants suffering
from diarrhoea and dehydration. Though at times, a dose of Arsenic Album or Bryonia also helps.
Hunger is becoming a more frequent cause with increasing urbanisation, adoption of top feeding and adoption of strict
Victorian principle of time feeding. Often one sees very educated mothers, worried about child's discipline and their own
freedom of movements allowing the child to cry even when he is hungry because the clock does not say that the child
should be hungry still. Happily the scientists have proved that rigid time and scheduling of feeds leads only to
development of frustrated personality in adulthood and is contributory to the development of disciplined habits of the
child. Thus it would appear that the time honoured method of "On Demand Feeding" is the best. In late infancy, crying
late at night is often due to hunger, because of mother's reluctance to give night feed at "such a late night". The
© Copyright 2000, Archibel S.A.
Encyclopaedia Homeopathica 4
problem can usually be resolved if the child is given a semi-solid diet late in the evening-followed by a milk feed just
before sleeping. Otherwise a dose of Psorinum for midnight hunger and China for voracious appetite may be the answer.

Wetting is a common cause of crying. In fact, it is surprising how often children do not cry even when they are wet. Quite
often, the infants cry before passing urine. As we find this in Lycopodium. This usually has no pathological significance
and may be only considered as a "signal from the infants" before the stream comes. The problem of perianal and
perivulval rash and ulceration is likely to increase with increasing use of impermeable plastic napkins for maternal
convenience.
Very often infants cry because of loneliness, particularly if left alone in the dark room, especially when they are separated
from their mother or where both the parents are working. As in the case of Cina and Pulsatilla, quite often the infant
cries just because he wants to be cuddled and picked up, which again is prevalent in westernly modes of infant rearing
which is considered as spoiling the child, e.g. when the child stops crying on being carried as in Chamomilla.
An important but poorly recognised cause of crying in infant is frustration. The frustration is often due to inability to
perform developmentally. If the infant has learnt to manipulate with his hands but gets no toys to practice then he may
cry. Alternatively he may go for house hold objects like knife, matchsticks etc. which are potentially dangerous and so
forbidden. This often leads to excessive crying and temper tantrums. Obviously appropriate needs of a developing child
must be recognised and necessary objects and toys be made available so that the infant does not cry unnecessarily.
Wanted things refused later can be taken care by few doses of Cina as if has Capraciousness as characteristic.

An important cause of crying in an infant or a child in the clinic situation, is the Doctor himself. Most of the graduating
doctors having spurned Pediatric wards and out patients as unnecessary appendages of medicine during their periods of
training, feel totally unsure in fact are even afraid to handle a child. They start practising the art of examination learnt
in adult wards on children in a most tentative manner and this often leads to excessive crying in the child. A perspiring
physician handling a howling child is a common enough clinical problem. Once the physician himself keeps some patience
and gives enough time to the child to adjust and makes himself friendly to the child by using various methods and then
does the examination and prescribes the Homoeopathic medicine, Later on after receiving the sweet pills and sweet
behaviour from a Homoeopath the child is very unlikely to cry with a fear of a doctor.
R.S. Illingwoth has mentioned in his book that; There is an increasing interest in the nature of the cry of the infants.
Analysis of the cry by Spectrographic methods has yielded interesting and useful information (michelson and
Wasz-Hockert 1980). The cries of the Asphyxiated, Hypothyroid, Mongoloid and other abnormal babies all have their
special characteristics when studied by these methods. Fisichelli and Karelitz showed that normal infants cry more
rapidly than do children with brain abnormalities. Babies with Cerebral irritability, Meningitis, Hydrocephalus have a
shrill, high pitched cry.

A hoarse gruff cry is characteristic of Hypothyroidism.
The hoarseness of Laryngitis is characteristic. More important is the cry of a child with stridor which is always present
since birth.
The cat-like cry of the 'Cri-du-chat' Syndrome is characteristic. This occurs in microcephalic infants. There is often some
degree of hypothyroidism, an antimongoloid slant of the eyes and low-set ears. It is associated with deletion of the
distal portion of the short arm of the 4 to 5 chromosomes (Kajiiet al 1966).
Other characteristic cries are the weak cry of the child with Amyotonia congenita (or similar muscle weakness) or the child
with Myasthaenia gravis, and the whimper of the seriously ill child.
The child with Pneumonia may have a grunting type of cry.
Excessive crying in later infancy and early pre school age is a behavioral problem. This is more likely to occur in border line
retarded child. Resolution of behavioral problem requires a careful assessment of parental attitude and a thorough
constitutional Homoeopathic remedy.
Following are the few homoeopathic remedies for weeping and crying in various situations.
Treatment
Ammonium carbonicum
Weeping on waking and rising after, Anxiety in the evening 5-6 p.m. Abusive in the evening. Weeping tearful mood. Startling
© Copyright 2000, Archibel S.A.
Encyclopaedia Homeopathica 5
at night from fright in children.

Antimonium crudum
Child can not bear to be touched or looked at, does not wish to speak, peevish, vexed without cause. Child is very weepy and
irritable. Ecstasy at night walking in moonlight, sadness before chill, child becomes sentimental during diarrhoea. Love
sick, ailments from disappointed love. Quarrelsome in the evening. Repulsive mood. Weeps when touched or even looked at
and weeps on trifles.
Apis mellifica
Awkward appearance, drops the thing readily, stupour with sudden sharp cries and startlings. Stupour alternating with
erotic mania. Sudden shrill, piercing screams, whinning, jealousy, fright rage, vexation, grief. Desire death in the
forenoon. Delusions as the tongue is made of wood and can not concentrate mind when attempting to read or study.
Desires to break the things. Ailments from anger and bad news, declares there is nothing the matter with him and he is
well.
Arsenicum album
Weepy, tearful mood at night, causeless weeping during the chill, during coughing in sleep. Says he is well when he is very
sick. Anguish driving from place to place, restlessness, anxiety when anything is expected of him. Fastidious. Thirst for
small quantity of water at frequent intervals. Bites the tumbler when drinking.
Baryta carbonica
Goes alone and weeps as if had no friends. Child thinks all visitors laugh at him. Keeps the hands over the face and peeps
through the fingers and hides behind the furniture. Childish behaviour aversion to company. Dullness, sluggishness in
children. Tendency to catch cold easily. Suppurative tonsillitis, quinsy. Dwarwish growth. Sensation as if forced through a
narrow place, slow gasping silly and backward. Mistrustful. Lack of self confidence. Talking mania. Always borrows
troubles.

Causticum
Children weep at the least worry and after spasms. Anxiety while straining at stool. Over sympathetic to others. Hopeless,
despondent, wants to die. Lack of ambition. Child does not want to go to bed alone. Looks on the darker side. Lacks
control and balance. Least things make him cry. Passes stool with much straining or only on standing up.
Chamomilla
Marked irritability with crying. Sends the nurse out of the room, weeps and cries during the chill and in sleep. Ugly in
behaviour, cross and uncivil, quarrelsome, vexed at every trifles. Averse to being spoken to or touched or being looked at.
Children want to be carried and petted to make them quiet, kicks when carried and becomes stiff. Wants many things but
refuses them when offered or given. Intolerable pain, becomes mad with pain, numbness after pain.
Chelidonium majus
Weeps and cries when carried. Feels like crying with ill humour or without any reason. Liver affections. Children desire to
beat. Delusions, he has ruined his health. Unconsciousness, rubbing of feet ameliorates. Inclination to fall forward.
Constant pain in the inferior angle of right scapular region.
© Copyright 2000, Archibel S.A.
Encyclopaedia Homeopathica 6
Cina maritima
Child cries piteously if taken hold of or carried, causeless weeping. Ill humour. Child very cross and does not want to be
touched. Capraciousness, morose during daytime complain on waking. Irritability, rocking fast ameliorates. Moaning in the
afternoon. Easily gets frightened on waking. Irritable, can not bear to be looked at. Easily gets offended, very obstinate,
throws things away. Shrieking in children before convulsions.
Coffea cruda
Weeping from joy, weeping with pains, weeping alternating with laughter, weeping during headaches. Affections and
ailments after pleasant surprises. Ecstasy, full of ideas, quick to act, hence wakeful. Weeps, torments and tosses about,
over trifles. Cry and laugh easily, while crying suddenly laughs quite heartily and finally cries again. Joyous at one moment
and gloomy at another moment.

Graphites
Weeps, cries without cause, weeps from music, sad, fearsome irresolute, hesitate at trifles. Impulse to groom, timid, dread
of work. Fidgety while sitting at work. Feels miserable and unhappy. Dullness after siesta. Forgetful, makes mistakes in
speaking and writing. Child impudent, teasing laughing at reprimands. Thinks of nothing but death. Memory active till
midnight. Fear of death from pain and from pleasure.
Lycopodium clavatum
Weeps and cries between 4 to 8 p.m. , during chill, about future, cries aloud, cries before micturition, weeps when thanked,
child is cross, kicks and scolds on waking. Weeps during perspiration and weeps when greeting a friend, loss of self
confidence, weeps all day. Sad on hearing distant music. Fear of being alone. Dread of men, presence of new persons. Fear
of everything even ringing of door bell. Craves sweets and hot drinks.
Natrium muriaticum
Weeps when looked at, on thinking of past events. Weeps more if he believes he is pitted. Weeps bitterly only when alone.
Involuntary weeping, consolation aggravates. Immoderate laughter with tears absorbed, burried in thoughts as to what
would become of him. Aversion to company, can not urinate in the presence of some one. Craves salt. Weeps at night.
Pulsatilla pratensis
Mild timid, emotional and tearful, easily moved to tears and laughter after eating. Weeping in the afternoon at 4 p.m. When
disturbed t work, when interrupted, sobbing while nursing, when telling about own sickness. Better in open air. Causeless
weeping during chill, involuntary weeping during heat, very irritable touchy, feels slighted or fears slight. Suspicious.
Answers yes or no by nodding the head. Desires company and sympathy.

Sepia officinalis
Nervous, so that the child wants to hold on to something or he should scream. Says and does strange things. No body knows
what the child will do next. Aversion to family, to those loved best.

Pica (mud chalk, dirt etc.) and other eating disturbances
Pica or dirt eating, occurs particularly in the first four or five years of age. This is a disorder of perverted taste for mud,
© Copyright 2000, Archibel S.A.
Encyclopaedia Homeopathica 7
coal, hair, paper, paint, or plaster from the walls. Children affected from this are usually underfed or anaemic. It is more
prevelent in the lower social classes than in upper ones. It is more common in mentally defective children than in those of
normal intelligence, partly because mentally defective children continue to take objects to the mouth long after the
normal child has ceased to do so.
It is believed by some that Pica is associated with iron deficiency anaemia, but the association is often coincidental iron
deficiency anaemia and pica both being related to the low social class and to malnutrition. There is commonly a family
history of pica or at least one member of the family has this, so that the child may have merely picked up the habit or
followed the example of others.

The dangers of pica are the risk of infection, ingestion of worms and Lead poisoning. In all cases the haemoglobin and blood
lead should be determined.
Homoeopathic remedies like Calcarea Carb., Cina, Nitric Acid, Silicea, Nux Vomica, Alumina, Cicuta, Ferrum Met, and Natrum
Muriaticum etc. has shown very remarkable results in treating this malady.
An interesting case I saw once in my clinic, where the child used to stop crying the moment he use to get paper to eat. The
child was treated with Nitric Acid with complete cure of his gastric troubles which were not coming under control for a
long time and had no problems after this and amazingly he stopped eating paper after that.
Incidentally this pica, if not taken care of in the childhood may develop into irresistible habit in adults also I have treated a
family in which three grown up sisters, two studying in university and one married, were affected by this Pica. They used
to eat chalk. The younger sister came to me for the treatment of her skin problem. On enquiring about the case it was
revealed that she eats chalk along with her sisters, to which they were not concerned at all as they thought it to be of
no importance when I told her that it is also a symptom which I would like to give importance to, while treating the case,
she realised the significance. After she got treated she brought her other two sisters also for the treatment and
indeed they also got rid off this craving for chalk and became healthier in all respects.
There was another girl studying in high school, who had the pica and she used to eat corners of pencils. She had
hypothyroidism with typical characteristic constitution of Calcarea Carb. She got completely cured and her thyroid has
also improved drastically and the blood levels have started changing towards normalcy, she still is undergoing treatment.
One peculiar thing I have observed in the patients of Pica is that, they become very irritable.

Treatment
Calcarea carbonica
Children crave eggs and eat dirt, chalk, wall plaster and other indigestible things. Children normally are prone to diarrhoea.
Children are normally fat flabby and fair. Children who grow fat, are large bellied, with large head, pale skin, chalky look.
Alumina
Delicate children who have been fed on artificial baby food and food products. Abnormal cravings for chalk, charcoal, dry
food, and raw uncooked rice. Children may suffer from painter's colic. Has a tendency for constipation, hard knotty stool
or with no desire for stool at all. Dryness is so marked that even the soft stool passes with difficulty.
Nitricum acidum
Great hunger, with sweetish taste in the mouth. Longing and craving for indigestible things like chalk, earth and paper etc.
Irritable hateful, vindictive and headstrong children with dark complexion. Recurrent blisters and ulcers in the mouth.
Cina maritima
Predominantly a children remedy. Ill-humour child very cross, does not want to be touched, marked irritability. Desires many
things, but rejects everything offered. Irritability full of temper, variable appetite, grinding of teeth. Also has the
tendency for worm infestations. Gets hungry soon after eating. Bores the nose with fingers till it bleeds. Craving for
© Copyright 2000, Archibel S.A.
Encyclopaedia Homeopathica 8
sweets.
Cicuta virosa
Desires for unnatural things, like coal, or charcoal etc. Indigestion, with insensibility, frothing at mouth. Hiccough, trismus
tetanus and convulsions. Bending of the head, neck, and spine backwards violent and strange desires.

Plumbum metallicum
Child has typical habit of eating or biting the cloth, specially the collar of the shirt or the corner of the bed sheets.
Abdominal wall feels drawn by a string to spine. Obstructed flatus, with intense colic. Intussusception, strangulated
hernia. Constipation, stool hard and lumpy. Progressive muscular atrophy.
The other important remedies of use are : Ferr. Met; Nat. Mur.; Nux Vom. etc.

Breath holding attacks
This is the phenomenon of the first 2 to years of life and starts at about 6 months of age. This is characterised by holding
of the breath until the child's face many turn red or bluish. Although it can be quite a frightening experience,
fortunately it is harmless. The child, when upset, may be throwing a temper tantrum or going into a rage will hold his
breath, may turn red, pale or blue, slumps limply and loses consciousness to the point of cyanosis for a few seconds. Very
rarely such a child will hold his breath long enough to produce an anoxic fit. It is the response of a frustrated self-willed
child to get his own way by manipulating his caretakers. One can manage this by avoiding situations that might frustrate
the child (including giving in to the child's demands occasionally). The correct management is to ignore the whole episode
as fussing the child tends to perpetuate the attack. Mild sedation use to be given in the past but it does not have much
effect. Breath holding attacks should be considered in the differential diagnosis of epilepsy and parents may question as
to whether the child suffers from Cyanotic Congenital Heart disease. A careful explanation of the attacks, their
management and the outlook should be given to the parents who are there in a much better position to cope, in knowledge
that the attacks are harmless and self-limiting. Still the parents can be advised to get it treated with following few
homoeopathic remedies with their indications.

Treatment
Antimonium tartaricum
Velvety feeling in the chest. Rapid short difficult breathing, seems as if he would suffocate. Coughing and gaping
consecutively. Oedema and impending paralysis of lungs. Asphyxia neonatorum.
Cuprum metallicum
Spasmodic affections, Suffocative attacks, Spasm and constriction of the chest. Chorea brought on by fright. Dyspnoea
with epigastric uneasiness. Spasmodic asthma, alternating with spasmodic vomiting. Child has a complete cataleptic
spasm, with each paroxysm of whooping cough. Dreadful spasmodic breathing.
Bryonia alba
Soreness in larynx and trachea. Difficult quick respiration, worse every movement, caused by stitches in the chest. Marked
dryness all over the body. Heaviness beneath the sternum extending towards the right shoulder.
© Copyright 2000, Archibel S.A.
Encyclopaedia Homeopathica 9
Laurocerasus
Asphyxia neonatorum. Cyanosis and dyspnoea. Constriction of chest. Threatening paralysis of lungs. Gasping for breath,
clutches at heart. Spasmodic tickling cough. Lack of reaction, especially in chest and heart affections. Drink rolls audibly
through the oesophagus and intestines.
Cocculus indicus
Sensation of emptiness and cramp in chest. Dyspnoea as from constriction of trachea, as if irritated by smoke. Choking
constriction in upper part of oesophagus, oppressing breathing and inducing cough.

Thumb sucking
Thumb-sucking is part of the natural process of a child's development. Thumb sucking is normal in infancy. It makes the
older child appear immature and may interfere with normal alignment of the teeth. Like other rhythmic patterns, it can
be seen as a way of securing extra self-nurturance. The best strategy for dealing with thumb sucking is to provide the
child with evidence of interest in his or her well-being and other forms of satisfaction.
It is estimated that about 40% of children suck their thumb during their first year of life. By 4 years of age, over 85% of
the children stop this habit. Initially thumb sucking may have developed as a substitute for breast feeding or bottle
feeding. Children suck their thumb as it gives them a sense of contentment or they just enjoy it. In the later age of the
children the thumb sucking is the expression of contentment regarding their hunger and safety. Many children do thumb
sucking only at bed time when they get the utmost satisfaction. Elder children carry this habit as form of security or as
a reaction to the boredom. There is no need to pull the thumb out of the mouth. Treating the underlying insecurity or
boredom is definitely more effective. Tying the thumb or putting bitter things on the thumb has helped only a very few
children. But definitely if the child is made to understand in a very friendly and polite manner about the implications as
of injury or wound on the thumb and disfigurement of the teeth and face yields better results. The child who actively
tries to restrain thumb sucking should be given praise and encouragement.

Treatment
Natrium muriaticum
Children suck their thumb and bite nails. Children who are afraid of worms, birds and small animals.
Calcarea phosphorica
Anaemic children who are peevish, flabby, have cold extremities and feeble digestion. It is specially indicated in tardy
dentition and troubles of that period. Always wants to go somewhere. Thumb sucking more with boredom.
Silicea terra
Rachitic children, with large head, open fontanelles and suture, distended abdomen, slow in walking. Thumb sucking. Nervous
and excitable. Sensitive to all impressions. Very chilly.

Fears and excessive dependency
Fear and dependency are interrelated. As the child who fears about being left alone or loosing his mother or father
becomes more dependent to them respectively. This has been found in the cases where both the parents are working and
© Copyright 2000, Archibel S.A.
Encyclopaedia Homeopathica 1 0
the children are left behind under some one's care, may be the grandparents, relatives or even in the crèches. Children
do have the fear of being harmed or fear of being deprived of the love of the parents. Under these circumstances
certain children become very fussy and they always try to catch hold of the clothes or fingers or the hair of the mother
as a security or assurance to them. It has been seen in quite a number of cases of elderly children that they have fear of
loosing their parents and especially if there had been some tragedy in the family, they become more insecure emotionally.
Children have various types of fears. Still the common ones are, Fear of Ghosts, Fear of Animals, Fear of Snakes, Fear of
Water, Fear of Death, Fear of Accidents, Fear of being Alone, Fear of Darkness, Fear of Impending Disease, Fear of
Evil, Fear of Examinations, Fear of Failure, Fear of Falling, Fears Something Will Happen, Fear of High Places, Fear of
Insects, Fear of Imaginary Things, Fear of Killing, Fear of Lightening, Fear of Narrow Places (claustrophobia), Fear of
Being Murdered, Fear of Crowd, Fear of Operation, Fear of Pins, Fear of Being Poisoned, Fear of Rains, Fear of
Thunderstorms, Fear of Robbers, Fear of Spiders, Fear of Suffocation, Fear of Suicide etc.

Reassurance from the parents side as well as from others is most needed to take this fear out of the mind of a child.
Otherwise there are few homoeopathic remedies which can take care of these fears also.
Treatment
Lycopodium clavatum
Weakly children Melancholy, Afraid of being alone Apprehensive, Loss of self confidence. Gastric symptoms specially the
flatulence may accompany. Child dries before urination. Dependent on others.
Pulsatilla pratensis
Weeps easily, timid, irresolute. Fears in the evening to be alone, dark, ghosts. Children like fuss and caresses. Wants
company, highly emotional. Craves sympathy. Affected very much missing the near and dear ones.
Phosphorus
Fear of darkness, fear of being alone lest he die, dear of suffocation, fear of thunderstorm, Fear of Death, Fear of
impending diseases, Fears something will happen, Fear of ghosts, Fear of robbers, Fear of water, Fear of evil, Fear of
imaginary things, Fear of being run over on going out, Fear of vehicles approaching him, Fear of something creeping out of
every corner. Fear arising from the stomach. Fear in the evenings.
Hyoscyamus niger
Fear of being harmed. Fear of loosing something. Very possessive. Fear of being injured. Fear of water, Fear of people. Fear
of being bitten by beasts. Fear of separation from the dear ones.

Arnica montana
Fear of being struck by those approaching or coming towards him. Full of nightmares and dreams. Fear and horror of sudden
death. Fears some dreadful thing will happen. Rises at night with fear and grasps the heart.
Baryta carbonica
Fear in children. Fear of others approaching him. Child fears in a crowd or public places. Child has a fear of death. Fear of
evil. Fear of strangers, Fear from noise, at night in street. Fear of people while walking.
Remark
© Copyright 2000, Archibel S.A.