CHILDREN’S REMEDIES



  In the first edition of KENT’s Repertory were very useful rubrics that have been suppressed in the subsequent editions.  Let’s talk today about the rubric on Children.  Of course, if you have a clearly indicated remedy, you simply prescribe the drug corresponding to the symptoms of the little patient.  However, if you cannot decide in the choice of two or three remedies, it helps to know that certain drugs are particularly adapted to children rather than adults or elderly people.


KENT REPERTORY 1st Edition:


Children, Especially

Acon., Aeth., agar.,, All-c., Ambr., Ant-c., Ant-t., arn., ars., asaf., Aur., Bar-c., Bell., Bor., Bry., Calc., Calc-p., camph., canth., Caps.,Cham., china., Cic., Cina., clem., Cocc., coff., Croc., cupr., dig., dros., euph., ferr., Gels., graph., hell., Hyos., Ign., Iod., Ipec., kali-c.,Kreos., Lach., laur., Lyc., mag-c., Merc-sol., mur-ac., nat-c., Nux-m., Nux-v., Op., plb., Podo., Psor., Puls., Rheum., rhus-t., ruta., sabad., sabin., sec., seneg., sep., Sil., spig., Spong., Squill., stann., staph., Sulph., sul-ac., Teucr., thuj., verat-a., viol-o., viol-t., zinc.


  Aconite is, evidently, the first remedy that comes to mind regarding children.  All sudden fevers; all colds or onsets of inflammation.  Anxious agitation, constant change of position. Startles at the least noise.


  Infants: opthalmia—anuria—head and ears red and hot - ailments following sunstrokes and mostly after sleeping in the sun.  Angry children, prone to rage.  Cannot tolerate music.  Convulsions during dentition.


  Ambra grisea is frequently indicated for elderly people; it is also a good remedy for children.  Nervous, impressionable children, worse from music and in crowded places.  Asthma - Paroxysmal cough - Spasms - Hot milk and drinks aggravate.  Acrid smelling urine.


  Antimonium crudum with its typical milky-white tongue.  Children yell or cry when bathed or washed in cold water; they holler when you look at them or touch them.  Peevish and disagreeable disposition, worse from the heat of the sun. Blepharophthalmia.  Infants regurgitating from the start a little acid milk.  Diarrhoea after breast feeding with vomiting in summer.  Whooping cough after measles.


  Antimonium tartaricum  is heard as you enter the room of the sick child: bronchial rales so noisy that you think of a small locomotive.  That makes you think of Ant-t and more so if the tongue is coated.


  Borax is an extraordinary remedy.  You know that it has the fear of downward motion.  When you see a child hollering when the mother puts it in its little crib, just think about Borax.  It is the remedy that cannot stand going down an elevator; yet children are much more courageous than adults. Some time ago, two children, 7 and 9, had to stay for four hours in an elevator stalled between stories; they simply layed down and slept.  Very few adults would have behaved that way...


  Calcarea carbonica  is the big remedy for children.  Man starts his life needing calcium... and ends it with too much calcium.  Getting older, man gets sclerosis, he shrinks, becomes calcified; but in the growing years he needs calcium, he is too soft rubber-like...  That’s the reason why I can’t understand why so many people are getting so many Calcium injections after 50, which most of the time aggravates.  Of course one thinks that when calcium is lacking in certain places, everything will be fine by taking calcium... It is as if you could produce milk in a nursing mother by giving her half a gallon of milk to drink.  ... things don’t work this way and the calcium unfortunately does not go where you want it to go.


  Capsicum is a splendid remedy for mastoiditis.  I have obtained many cures with it.


  Chamomilla  a major remedy for teething children.  (Ed.- Irascible spoiled brats).


  Cina : nocturnal terrors - impossible children, never satisfied with anything, asking for all kinds of things which they refuse when given to them.  Helminthiasis.


  Gelsemium when you find the triad: exhaustion, sleepiness, thirstlessness.


  Hyoscyamus great remedy for children : fears, hallucinations, small boys constantly fondling their genitals.


  Ipecacuanha: effective remedy for light bronchitis and colds; after Aconite has done its work and the cold goes down in the bronchiae (bronchiolitis) with a clean tongue, Ipecac becomes indispensable.


  Lycopodium: for those with difficult disposition.  Unruly, recalcitrant, disobedient, irritable children.  Little devils when sick.  Puny, sickly children.  Babies crying all day, but sleeping at night.  Constantly rubbing his nose when awakening.  Sleeps with eyes half closed, throwing his head from right to left while moaning.  The infant sucks so hard that it makes the nipple bleed.  Protruding belly, flatulent, with umbilical hernia.


  According to the old homœopathic masters when considering the three Mercurys, Mercurius solubilis is preferably prescribed for women;  Mercurius corrosivus for men, and Mercurius vivus for children.  Opthalmia neonatorum - Ranula - Apthae - Green diarrhoea, like scrambled eggs - Sweats easily; drools on the pillow. Hot urine.  Fondles his genitals.  Erysipelas neonatorum.


  Muriatic acid has a great reputation for haemorrhoids in children.  Epistaxis during whooping cough.  Myosis. Scarlet fever.


  Natrum carbonicum  indicated for those who cannot tolerate honey.


  Nux vomica for thin, emaciated children, constantly sniffling with phlegmy noses; Runny nose during the day, but obstructed nightly.  Obstructed nose in breast fed babies.  Fever and cough persisting after too much medication.


  Podophyllum: children who, at night: grind their teeth, moan, roll their head on the pillow, have their eyes half-open.  Rattling cough during dentition.  Infantile diarrhoea. Cholera morbus.


  Psorinum: Summer cholera infantum—putrid stools.  Nervous, agitated nightly crying children.


  Pulsatilla:  Capricious, peevish, pale, chilly children, rubbing their eyes constantly.  Otitis media with sweetish discharge, usually yellow-greenish.  Colds of infants.  Parotiditis with testicular or breast metastasis.  Asthma, chronic cough, never ending after measles.  Enuresis after measles.  Nodules in breasts before puberty.  Indigestion from pastry. (Ed. Fats in general.).


  Silica: Stubborn, obstinate children, always thirsty, whimpering when talked to gently.  Vaccinations sequelae.  Baby refuses to nurse from aversion to maternal milk.  Vomits as soon as nursing.  Late closing fontanels. Profuse sweating on the head and occiput, otherwise dry skin elsewhere.  (Ed.- Sweaty smelling feet).  Acrid perspiration, face pale; thin with protruding abdomen, weak ankles. Rickets.  Scrofulous children with helminthiasis.  Marked salivation during dentition, which is always difficult.  Painful, swollen joints during growth.  Crusta lactea. The stool emerges then recedes.


Journal of the American Institute of Homœopathy. March 1972.

(Translated from the Cahiers du Groupement Hahnemannien de Lyon 8th series, pp. 331 - 334 by ROGER A.SCHMIDT, M.D.)