Miss T.K., an 8 year old girl was brought to us with the history of recurrent respiratory complaints for the past 2-½ years. These symptoms had increased over the past 1 year and for the past six months she needed a nebulizer to give relief to her respiratory symptoms.
With every change in the weather, she would develop a cold that was ‘dry’. The main complaint was a nose block. This used to progress and descend with an irritation in the throat followed by a dry cough with a vomiting of whitish mucus. If severe, it would lead to breathlessness, which was worse lying down and at night after 9 or 10 pm, and better by sitting erect or diverting her attention. She needed inhalers (which she takes every 8 hours).
She was hospitalized for this complaint when she was 2-½ years old and also 2 weeks before she was brought to us for treatment.
An associated complaint was bed-wetting. This used to happen every night when she was in deep sleep. She would not wake up even after wetting the bed.
Her appetite was normal. She craves curds (yoghurt), cold drinks, fruits, milk. She has a poor thirst. she is constipated- passes stools once in 2 days. Sometimes she strains to pass stools and if she stops straining, the stool recedes back into the rectum. She sweats profusely on the palms and soles.
She was a talkative child but ever since her younger sister was born, 3-½ years ago, she had become relatively quiet. She loves her younger sister, takes care of her and protects her.
She prefers to stay alone. She would rather be at home than accompany her parents when they go out shopping, etc.
She is very soft and slow in her speech.
Extremely shy- will not come out of her room when they have guests at home. She does not even socialize with other children of her age.
She is very timid too. If a child hits her, she will not hit back but weeps and later complains to her mother. She gets scared if she sees someone fighting.
She is also extremely stubborn- wants to have her own way. H/O breath holding spells in childhood.
She weeps at the drop of a hat. She is sensitive to being scolded and is relieved by consolation.
She has had chicken pox in the past.
Family history:
Father- frequent colds, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Examination findings:
Nose- hypertrophied turbinates, Chest- Rhonchi (wheeze) ++ The homeopathic remedy Silicea that was prescribed for her not only cured her of the breathlessnesss, but also controlled her bed wetting and constipation.