Physical Characteristics (Herscu):
(a) Head:
The scalp lacks oils in an inverse proportion to that which the face produces, resulting in dry hair and a dandruffy, flaking scalp.

(b) Eyes:
Infants may develop conjunctivitis ["inflammation of the mucous membrane covering the anterior surface of the eyeball and lining the eyelids," Yasgur] or blepharitis [inflammation of the eyelids] with much swelling and redness. The pus that is exuded is thick, green, and excoriates the entire area of the eye.

Older children may report these eye inflammations as something that occurred in the past, or complain of low-level chronic blepharitis as the chief complaint. The sensations that they mention -- eyelashes falling out and a sensation of sand in the eyes -- are similar to Sulphur.

(c) Ears:
Some Medorrhinum children have frequent colds. If these colds are repeatedly treated with antibiotics, sequelae develop in the ears. The most common sequela is a great amount of fluid in the middle ear that causes impaired hearing. If the eardrum ruptures, one finds that the fluid pours out of the ear for a long time, not soon resolving as it does in children of other types.

(d) Nose:
Since the immune system in Medorrhinum children is damaged from birth, problems such as eczema, asthma, and hay fever abound. The infant or child will catch colds very easily and it may seem as if he always has mucus either running from or stuffing up the nose. The parents remember that from the first few months of life the child sneezed often and developed crusts surrounding the outside of the nostrils and was plagued by thick, yellow-green mucus that had to be suctioned out of the nose. This condition may be quite intractable and obstinate, not yielding to orthodox treatment or the more common homeopathic remedies. The state of the nose should be considered a major confirmatory clue in the diagnosis of Medorrhinum.

(e) Mouth:
Occasionally a child complains of tiny blisters in the mouth that recur, especially after drinking citrus juice.

(f) Face:
The faces of these children are often graced with very distinctive features. The skin may be pale or gray toned. Medorrhinum is especially indicated if the child has a greenish, shiny look to the skin. The skin looks as if it were polished with wax. This is due to the excess oil produced by overzealous sebaceous glands.

The amount of facial hair is minimal. This may be noted as a thinness of the beard of teenaged boys. What may be observed in many Medorrhinum children is pencil-thin, narrow eyebrows.

Occasionally, the face bears a keynote of this remedy and of this inherited Medorrhinum tendency in general: spider hemangiomas. The reddish-blue, spidery-looking spots made up of dilated capillaries under the surface of the skin can be seen in infants as well as children and adults.

Younger children develop fever blisters easily, especially on and around the lips.

(g) Throat and Neck:
The child tends to get colds that lead to a postnasal drip with copious, thick mucus. The child hawks or coughs up phlem, almost choking on it at times. Often there is a raw pain in the throat and the tonsils are painfully swollen.

(h) Lower Respiratory System:
The Medorrhinum child is susceptible to chest colds and/or asthma from birth.

The asthma, described as "tightness," may be felt high up in the chest as opposed to lower in the chest, where most other asthmatics describe the location of this sensation. The cough that accompanies the asthma as well as shortness of breath are both ameliorated by lying down, especially on the abdomen. Some children exhibit the keynote that when they begin to cough, they throw themselves onto the bed and bury their heads in the pillows. They either lie in the knee-to-chest position, on their knees at the side of the bed with the abdomen and head pressed on the bed, or on the abdomen. The remedy Medorrhinum may at times be prescribed on these signs alone.

Chronic chest colds also plague the Medorrhinum child. There is a deep, rattling cough. No matter how hard they try, they cannot dislodge the mucus. The constant cough is severe and seems to tear the throat apart. It may be ameliorated by lying on the abdomen.

A one-year-old girl was brought in for chronic upper respiratory infections. The worst complaint for the mother was the child's incessant wet cough. She carried the sleeping child into the office and put her down on the floor and the child promptly rolled up into the knee-to-chest position, burying her face in the carpet and thrusting her seat up into the air. This was the first clue to the remedy which was given to the great benefit of the tiny patient.

(i) Food Cravings and Aversions:
The food cravings are quite unique. The strongest cravings are for salt, fat, sweets, and unripe fruit, especially the sour, tart, or green varieties. Many times the favorite is citrus: oranges, grapefruit, and even lemons. Babies often like juice in general and orange juice in particular. They can eat many pieces of citrus fruit at one sitting: "As many as there are in the house," tells one mother.

These children strongly dislike any foods that tend to be slimy, as well as onions, beans, and peas.

They have a great thirst for cold drinks and especially love to chew on ice.

(j) Stomach:
Medorrhinum is one of the main remedies for the infantile condition commonly known as failure to thrive. Although the child has a large appetite, due to the vomiting and diarrhea that constantly arise he will be slow to develop. Mothers notice that after the baby nurses he vomits not only milk but also yellow mucus along with the milk.

In older children, they eat but do not gain weight as they should. After the remedy is given the children usually begin to quickly put on weight and height. Many Medorrhinum teenagers complain of bloated, distended abdomens after eating.

(k) Rectum:
The infants usually have a characteristic fiery red rash around the genitals and anus. This is such an intense and persistent eruption that it is remembered  by the parent and reported even when the child is seen much later in life after the rash has disappeared. The parents report that they went from one doctor to another, yet no matter what treatment was tried, the rash would not go away.

The child may have diarrhea from birth along with the other symptoms of failure to thrive previously described. This diarrhea in infants is yellow-green, excoriates the anus and surrounding area, and has an offensive odor.

Many children have chronic constipation from birth. The child strains and strains, only to pass very hard, round pellets.

(l) Urogenital System:
Medorrhinum children are plagued by bed wetting. The urine is acid with a very strong odor, and may cause or exacerbate the fiery red rash just described.

Boys may develop an acute phimosis (inflammation of the foreskin of the penis). They may also have rashes and warts on the penis. In an infant or young child such a history reveals that a parent or grandparent at one time had contracted gonorrhea. Many boys awaken with erections and, if in the same bed, like to rub against the parents or siblings.

Girls may develop a variety of vaginal infections very early. Even infant girls may develop a vaginal discharge. Older girls may likewise develop vaginitis and, what is more unusual in sexually inactive girls, pelvic inflammatory disease.

The menstrual flow in adolescents is also often affected. The cycle tends to be irregular. The blood may be dark and clotted, and gives off an offensive odor. The flow may arrive with ovarian pains so intense that the girl doubles over with them. An acccurate keynote, if one can ask and confirm it, is that the adolescent feels chilly before the flow, especially in the breast area. Also before the flow, girls may become sad, weepy, and occasionally suicidal.

Both sexes engage in early sexual experimentation, and both tend to masturbate as children.

(m) Extremities:
Two clues to the prescription of Medorrhinum are persistent, nervous up and down movements of the child's feet, and uncommon warmth of the feet. The child wants her shoes and socks off and often walks barefoot through the house, even in the wintertime or on cold cement. In the evening these two characteristics combine and fidgety, hot feet can be seen protruding from the covers during sleep.

Older children may complain of pain and swelling of the soles and ankles. Medorrhinum should be the first remedy considered for painful soles, making the child favor the sides or edges of the feet as a walking surface.

Teens may complain of a painful stiffness in the joints, an arthritis that often begins in the ankles or knees. Arthritis is aggravated at night, in damp weather, and ameliorated by motion. What stands out most in Medorrhinum cases is the degree of swelling of the joints, most especially of the ankles. This swelling is a good guiding symptom for the remedy.

Some children describe a feeling as if their joints are tightening up and that they must "pop" them to loosen them up and get relief.

Another common keynote of Medorrhinum is that children bite their nails to the quick.

(n) Skin:
The skin of Medorrhinum children is susceptible to growths such as moles and warts.

The infants often have very bad rashes in the genital area. Medorrhinum should be one of the first remedies considered for infants who have eczema from birth, especially if the eczema alternates with bouts of asthma. The alternation of eczema and asthma or eczema and allergies is very consistent with this remedy type. Also consistent is the ease with which the eczema is suppressed by strong medications and thereafter the child develops respiratory problems or bone disease in response.

The child may develop neurodermatitis and hives from drinking citrus juice or eating strawberries.

Medorrhinum should be among the first remedies contemplated for lipomas or fat cysts.

Quite a few Medorrhinum children have vitiligo, consisting of large, circular patches of pale discoloration on the face and abdomen. After the remedy is given, one may find the patches becoming pigmented and fading away.

The skin may appear oily all over the body, especially on the face.

It is peculiar, but these children also tend to get many insect bites and allergic reactions to these bites.


Sleep (Herscu):
The Medorrhinum child tends to be a "night person," finding it difficult to fall asleep until late at night. Their sleep is restless, with much tossing and turning. Most especially commented upon is the thrashing of the legs throughout the night.

The child is very hot and will often sleep naked and uncovered, especially the feet.

Even though their sleep is restless, they favor sleeping on the abdomen or in the knee-to-chest position with the buttocks in the air.

Many Medorrhinum children have nightmares. Being chased, bitten by animals, etc., are common themes.

The child may either wake up with much frantic energy, or wake up tired and unrefreshed.


Important General Characteristics (Herscu):
(a) The remedy Medorrhinum is frequently prescribed after the case has been treated first with another remedy. A common scenario follows: After prescribing the first correct and well-chosen non-Medorrhinum remedy, the child does very well. Yet after a time the case stalls. Simultaneously, a few Medorrhinum keynotes arise. Medorrhinum is prescribed and the child progresses nicely again. The original prescription may have matched the case perfectly. It is as if there were a genetic flaw that undermined the child's vital defenses and made them too weak to react properly to the well-chosen remedy in order to reestablish homeostasis.

(b) Medorrhinum should be considered for children who appear stunted in physical, emotional, or mental development.

(c) A detailed family history is of the utmost importance. The Medorrhinum child's family history may contain diseases common to this remedy type: gonorrhea, asthma, arthritis, angina, and heart disease. The family tree may begin with diseases of the skin, which progress from there to the respiratory tract, then to the bones and joints, and then to the heart, either in one person or across a family lineage.

(d) These are hot-blooded children who like the cool, open air and dislike heat.

(e) All their discharges are offensive smelling, acrid, and profuse.

(f) Health complaints are ameliorated by lying on the abdomen, especially respiratory symptoms.


Mental/Emotional Characteristics (Herscu):
Medorrhinum children are among those who are frequently ill from birth, carrying as they do a genetically determined constitutional weakness. There is a general unability to shake acute illnesses quickly or totally.

The Medorrhinum child has a number of distinctive characteristics in the psychological and mental spheres. Extreme extroversion or extreme introversion may be reported, although the former is much more common. Most children of this type are very extroverted and vital.

For some, this vitality is amplified to the point of irritating those around them. They usually play hard and enthusiastically. This "open" type of Medorrhinum can easily approach total strangers and begin a conversation on almost any subject. They enjoy socializing and usually have many friends.

A directness, at times extreme, may first offer a clue to the probability of a Medorrhinum layer existing in the child. An older patient in a wheelchair and wearing an eye patch was waiting in the reception area. A Medorrhinum child, Howard, burst into the office, and before his huffing mother could catch up, he lunged at the patient and yelled, "Hey, what do you have under that thing?" and tore the patch off the astonished man's face!

This overly-exuberant nature often leads to early experimentation with drugs and other experience-altering substances such as model airplane glue fumes, cough medicine, pain killers, and even car exhaust.

There is a great deal of sexual acting out at an early age as well. With some embarrassment, parents report of their young children such behaviours as erections, kissing and playing erotically with both adults and other children, masturbating, and repeatedly being found naked with young neighbor children. I once treated a six-year-old girl who showed violent tendencies in general and who liked to "pick" at her vagina all the time. The child would coerce her mother to dress her in the tightest possible clothes and underwear.

Evidence of greater than normal vitality may be observed in their hurried behaviour. The parents confirm that the child does everything quickly, always seeming to be in a big rush. Like many symptoms of this remedy, the exact opposite may be true: there may be periodic swings toward total, incapacitating inertia.

Such energy may over time lead to a true hyperactive state. At school they may become restless to the point of wildness. Hyperactive Medorrhinum children cannot concentrate very well, especially when tired. They are messy by nature and may be confused with hyperactive Sulphur children because of this.

Another negative attribute commonly found in these children is meanness and cruelty; coupled with high energy, it can lead to frequent quarrels, screaming matches, and out-and-out fighting, especially when the child is contradicted or reprimanded. When this happens, the child wants his own way even more and seems to develop superhuman strength. In this state, he can fight everyone around him, even parents and bigger, stronger siblings with great tenacity. The child becomes implacable, throwing things and striking their parents, siblings, and friends without remorse.

Parents state that during these "mean" times, the child can become totally out of control, where meaningful discipline or punishments are impossible. The situation can quickly degenerate into a struggle for control in which the parents have to physically overpower the child in order to stop a tantrum or other violent behaviour. The child may even wait for his chance and take reprisals against the parents. This meanness can help to differentiate Medorrhinum from other remedies sharing similar physical symptoms, and a prescription has, time and time again, ameliorated fits of anger, brought more emotional balance, and helped whatever physical complaint brought the child to the homeopath in the first place.

An episodic cruelty or rudeness, the fitful, changeable nature of the child, when times of great aggressiveness alternate with times of introversion and playful coyness, most often indicates a need for this remedy. The parents report extreme polarity of behavior, swinging from very sweet and charming to very nasty and destructive, without apparent cause. Self-destructive tendencies born of hot tempers and mindless fitfulness, and without thought of the pain it might impose on the child himself, are characteristics of this remedy. One troubled teenager, who suddenly became angry, punched his fist into a door, breaking three bones in his hand.

These fitful children may become very obstinate and bossy. Parents bemoan the constant struggle to determine who is in control, even in the case of a three-year-old. The child yells, "I want this!" while tugging at the doctor's stethoscope and screams and carries on until the object is handed over. The parents assert that it is no use to try and reason with the child once his mind is made up. They have found that attempts to discipline the child in this state only have a deleterious or negligible effect.

Another was to guage the depth of the obstinacy is to see how long children hold grudges. The length of time can be amazing, even in small children. They blurt out angrily, "I'm gonna get him back." These little ones remember everyone else's perceived transgressions and desire to mete out appropriate retribution while forgetting their own substantial meanness and trespasses against others.

Medorrhinum children exhibit temper tantrums that are often rooted in a great intolerance of contradiction. Explosive violence and other generally antisocial behavior is reported upon the slightest contradiction.

The child may nag and confront a parent until getting an emotional rise out of him or her. It is as if she wants, needs, and almost longs for a reprimand and punishment. I remember nine-year-old Sally, who would provoke a fight whenever possible. If her mother told her not to make noise at the theater, it was guaranteed that she would yell so her mother would be moved to swat her. It was as if the contact that she made with her parent in that fashion was desirable. As soon as a parent became angry with her, she would become cooperative and sweet. Loving attention by a parent may go unheeded or even be rejected by such a child.

In addition to behaving violently themselves, these children like to observe violence as well. They love to watch scary or violent movies with lots of blood and gore.

Medorrhinum children are often caught lying. Lying often begins with the relatively innocuous and common excuse, "It's not my fault."

In the office a careful listener will frequently hear this type of lying: the parents describe a negative trait, like temper tantrums or cursing, and the child will exclaim over and over with the utmost conviction, "No I don't! No I don't!" in response to every point. If the doctor finally turns to the child and asks, "What didn't happen?" the child will say "That didn't happen lately" or "That didn't happen on Thursday like Mom said." This lying by omission in children can evolve into an adult behavior.

Another form of lying by omission is noted in children who do not wish to have anything "bad" said about them. No one does, but their reactions speak loudly of the remedy itself. They scream, "No! No! Stop!" at the parents as they describe ordinary symptoms to the doctor. Others hide behind the parent's chair or behind a plant and yell, "I'm not telling!" in answer to any question asked of them.

Some lying is evoked by jealousy of siblings. Since some children appear not to comprehend parental love, they may measure love by getting equal shares of objects, toys, and food. I know a boy who wanted a duplicate of everything that his brother had. He would steal and hide his brother's toy because he did not one also. He would even hide his own toys and blame his brother for stealing them just to get him into trouble. He seemed not to know of affection at all, desiring only the outer manifestations, the physical trappings of love.

There is a thoughtless selfishness. Behavior can reflect a complete disregard for the wishes of others. This is also manifested as manipulativeness. The child may tattle on other siblings so that he will receive more attention, even lying to get a sibling into trouble.

The child needing Medorrhinum may have one of two main problems in the ability to think clearly. The first problem is an inborn mental and physical dwarfing, as though from a minor chromosomal defect. The second is only a functional problem with the ability to concentrate.

The former difficulties include a memory weak from babyhood on, especially for conceptual thought. They are usually poor spellers and forget the meaning of words. The child is easily confused by more abstract information. They can have difficulty expressing themselves clearly.

Anomalies in gross or fine motor skills abound. A child may not be able to use scissors or demonstrate good penmanship. He may also walk with a jerky gait.

For the second type of child, the short attention span often leads doctors to diagnose an attention deficit disorder. Parents are often told that the child requires Ritalin. This type of child begins to lose the thread of conversations. In teenagers, confusion is seen most commonly in school-related learning. Their fragile concentration is easily broken by any noise. Dyslexia, mistakes in speech, and poor recall are not due to mental dullness so much as to confusion. As memory declines over time, abstract theoretical knowledge is easily lost. While the child may forget what was heard or read, she can still remember concepts that have visual, experiential clues. There can be a chronic mental disconnectedness symptomatic of both the remedy and the inherited susceptibility, the slow dissipation of attention that takes place over a period of years and is replaced by growing confusion.

Many children who require the remedy Medorrhinum are pseudoambidextrous. It is not that they are equally able to use either hand as a true ambidextrous person can, but rather that they do not have a dominant hand. Because of this, they may switch hands during activities and never quite master a skill with either one.

Initially, the Medorrhinum child who is a slow learner is perfectionistic, spending a long time trying to fashion letters correctly. As the confused state worsens over months and years, the child begins to procrastinate and to hate being pushed to read, write, or do homework.

There is a subgroup of Medorrhinum children that is shy and timid. An inferiority complex is observed in their demeanor during the interview. They can become mentally dull and develop increased anxiety about upcoming events, especially those revolving around school projects. This is due to decreased confidence in his own mental capabilities. In general, they are either intermittently or consistently bashful and introverted. The boys of this subgroup are softhearted and sensitive to an extreme degree.

The mother may state that the child has been psychologically tested and found to have very low self-esteem. These unfortunates have no confidence or pride in themselves.

As these children grow up they become increasingly more introverted. Many become depressed. In their depression they begin to act out, just as more extroverted Medorrhinum children do. They start to take drugs and smoke cigarettes. This taking of drugs is not done with the relish and enjoyment found in their outgoing counterparts, but instead with a sense of despondency. They become gloomy, feeling that all around them is blackness and depression.

In such a severe emotional condition, some girls may develop anorexic or bulimic behavior. There is one major clue that will make one consider Medorrhinum over other remedies for anorexia: the adolescent may not eat for days, starving herself so that she emaciates, but when she finally forces herself to eat, she will eat mainly fruit. This is a major indication for the remedy.

She blames herself for anything that goes wrong in her life as a way of justifying her self-destructive behavior. This self-blame can lead to more extreme self-destructive behavior. Some girls even begin to physically punish themselves, cutting their arms with razors. The two most common stressors that make the girl more vulnerable to suicidal impulses are drug use and premenstrual tension.

One final comment on eating disorders: while homeopathic remedies can be very effective in helping to rebuild the body as well as the mind, they should never be the sole treatment. A homeopath's success rate with these disorders will rise dramatically if treatment is combined with family-centered counseling and skill-oriented therapies that work on developing new methods of relating to food.

A common fear of Medorrhinum children is the fear of being alone, especially in the dark. The reason behind this fear is really a deeper fear of an unseen "presence," something eerie in the house lurking in the dark. Fear of large bodies of water is the other well-known fear of this remedy type. This fear is related to the fear of eerie, unseen things; something under the water may come up and snatch them. On the other hand, a love of bathing in the ocean is also sometimes characteristic of this remedy.

Another fear that about one in five Medorrhinum children has is the fear of closed-in places. Any time the child wrestles and becomes pinned down, he aggressively punches his way out, completely losing all reason in doing so.

One final note on the mind: if the doctor is very attentive to his or her own feelings about and reactions to the patient, this alone may provide a strong clue as to whether or not this remedy is needed. Some of these children elicit a feeling of disgust in others. It is not that they do or say anything that could be considered repulsive; it is just a general feeling in the observer of something repellent that seems to exude from the child.


Medorrhinum (Coulter):
Even if Medorrhinum starts out to behave moderately and methodically, somehow his actions take on a non-systematic, exuberant coloration. He takes the second step before the first, hurling himself into any chosen endeavor: "When my mind is on a particular point, I act as if it were the only thing in the world, sometimes to my own detriment," an adult patient admits.

Exuberance, enthusiasm, even excess, can be positive traits, encouraging high productivity and nourishing talent. But when unmanageable or misdirected, as seen most clearly in hyperactive children with uncontrolled exuberance, they become serious handicaps. Medorrhinum is one of the most effective remedies for the unruly or undisciplined youngster who is constantly touching things, breaking them, tripping over himself, and rashly lurching to do everything hastily -- as likely to hurt himself as others.

Such behaviour actually reflects a deeper stratum of the Medorrhinum makeup -- the general way in which he processes knowledge and experience. He must act out a situation before it is credible, or even comprehensible, to him; knowledge is born of action, or must first be experienced in action. The child does not learn from being told that the stove is hot but must burn himself more than once before anticipating the consequences of his actions.

Another idiosyncratic Medorrhinum symptom is a deranged sense of time. Time seems to move too slowly. This contributes to his impatience. He is always in a great hurry. Yet, while rushing to accomplish everything that is on his agenda, he is a procrastinator. A methodical approach tries his patience (at best, never a distinguishing feature). He puts everything off until the last moment and must then operate in haste and under pressure.

The hurried quality is often exhibited in Medorrhinum's very speech. He talks hastily, eruptively, in a compulsive rush of words, at times in garbled phrases, beginning in mid thought, repeating himself frequently as if fearful of being misunderstood. Thus even in speech habits, this nosode's overall pattern is encountered -- an internal welling up that finds urgent release in an eruptive and exuberant form.

Medorrhinum may perform in spurts of haste because he fears that otherwise he will not only lose his thread of thought but also his rush of inspiration. In fact, when the energy-generating pressure, or the focus supplying intensity are missing, the individual might be unable to collect his thoughts, have difficulty concentrating his mind on abstract subjects, and may be even hard put to express himself, at a loss for words or breaking off in the midst of a sentence.

As mentioned previously, Medorrhinum is usually prescribed as an intercurrent remedy when well-selected remedies, that match the case very well, fail to act. The following cases will help to illustrate this.

The case of a brain-damaged boy of six is an example. The condition had commenced at the age of eight months when he suddenly stopped breathing and had to be rushed to the emergency room. His life was saved, but the brain had been impaired, and soon afterwards the parents noticed signs of inadequate mental development. When first seen by the homeopath he was mentally retarded, living isolated in his own autistic world, emitting peculiar noises, talking disconnectedly and off topic, and with a two-year old's sense of responsibility for his behavior and actions. He attended a special school where he learned little and could not relate to his peers.

He was primarily Sulphur, which he received regularly during years of homeopathic treatment. His progress in developing mental strength was heartening, and, at length, although still in school for the learning disabled, he was able to take his place as a well-functioning member of his class and family. Certain intellectual disabilities remained, especially in mathematics, and his reading skills were below age level. In many other developmental areas, however, he was well within the normal range of normality. Although he still went off on a tangent occasionally, he could carry on thoughtful conversations most of the time and displayed a well-developed moral sense. He was as controlled and responsible as any other teenager.

But his progress was not uniform. Especially in the early stages of treatment he occasionally relapsed and seemed to lose ground. As is typical of such cases, his behavior degenerated, he would make loud noises, and retreated into his autistic world. When Sulphur, and Calcarea carbonica, Lycopodium, Natrum muriaticum, or Baryta carbonica, which are generally the most useful remedies for treating mental retardation (also the less severe dyslexia's, etc.), failed to act, he was given a dose of Medorrhinum 10M or 50M, and the case once again jumped forward; furthermore, he now responded to the indicated remedy. This illustrates what might be called the nosode's "tugboat role" of assisting other remedies to do their work.

Another case was a ten-year-old boy with nocturnal enuresis [bed wetting]. Sulphur, Calcarea carbonica, Natrum muriaticum, and Pulsatilla had helped only marginally, so the physician resolved to address a probable underlying level. Although Tuberculinum is the classic nosode for this condition, the boy's study habits provided the guiding symptoms to the curative Medorrhinum. He was a notorious procrastinator, putting off all the weekend homework until Sunday night, then working in haste until very late. He generally succeeded in completing the assignments on time and, despite the unnecessary pressure, or possibly due to it, got good grades.

A final case was a twelve-year-old girl suffering from asthma. While Natrum sulphuricum, a prime remedy for children's asthma, had helped in the past, its effect did not hold; the same was true for Sulphur, Psorinum, and Arsenicum. There were several suggestive symptoms, but above all, in severe asthma attacks she breathed better from lying draped over a chair with her head down -- an interesting variant of Medorrhinum's time-honored symptom: better in the knee-chest position. In fact, a patient's preferred lying or sleeping position can be crucial for choosing a remedy.

Medorhinum 200X was prescribed every week for a month, then less frequently in ascending potencies. Over the course of a year it was the girl's principal asthma remedy and proved wonderfully curative.

The obvious question is whether the nosodes should not have been administered at the start. Did it break through some impediment to cure and help resolve the case because its way had been paved by the earlier remedies or was it the simillimum from the start? Since every case is unique, one can only speculate. But Medorrhinum, like any nosode, often acts especially well when held in reserve, and is then brought out with a dramatic flourish.
 

Physical Characteristics (Herscu):

(a) Head:
Skin eruptions often develop around the margins of the hairline and behind the ears, which ooze a thin watery fluid that coagulates to a slightly yellow-tinged scab.

Often Natrum muriaticum children will not wear hats, except when they are out in the full sun. Without a hat in this case, the child is destined for a headache, heat prostration, or sunstroke.

(b) Headaches:
Headaches are a frequent complaint of the Natrum muriaticum child. The headaches may begin, as do migraines, with a visual loss on the contra lateral side. They may occur from reading too much or any kind of eye strain, from exposure to the sun and before the menses.

The Natrum muriaticum headache is aggravated by exertion, sharp noise, and bright light. They are often accompanied by a thirst for cold drinks and a desire for cold compresses to be applied to the head. The child becomes nauseated and loses any appetite for food. The face becomes pale and the afflicted person desires to be alone and to lie down flat with cold and pressure against the head.

(c) Eyes:
One can see great sensitivity in the eyes of Natrum muriaticum children. The child may develop dark circles under the eyes, as well as Denny's lines: the creases under the lower eyelids that typify allergies.

They can be quite photophobic and need to wear sunglasses. The photophobia is of graded severity; some have extreme sensitivity to light, while others develop headaches when in the sun. Others just prefer the shade, but all squint in bright light.

The Natrum muriaticum type tends to develop myopia at an early age.

(d) Nose:
The nose is frequently troubled. Natrum muriaticum children often have many allergies, developing hay fever-like symptoms from dust, molds, and pollen. There may also be allergic reactions to foods. The allergies may lead to sinus infections and sinus headaches, especially during a change in weather.

(e) Face:
Adolescent girls can develop a distinctive rash along the jaw line that becomes worse before the menses. Acne and rashes on the face tend to be centered on the forehead. Hives may also be a chief complaint. They may develop from each and every exposure to the sun or may occur only during the first three or four weeks of summer sunshine. The lips are often dry or cracked and frequently develop a fissure in the centre. With colds and fevers, blisters or herpatic sores develop that recur around the lips.

(f) Mouth:
The mouth may feel dry and sore and the tongue may be geographically mapped. With the dry mouth there is thirst for ice-cold drinks, which are consumed by the glassful.

(g) Asthma:
Asthma begins with a dry, hollow cough that is described as sounding like a dog's bark. This is accompanied by shortness of breath that is aggravated by exertion, allergies, evening time, and summer and fall weather in general.

Asthma in this remedy type is often triggered by emotional causes. It is uncanny how often a Natrum muriaticum picture develops in cases where the child must suppress sadness. In one case, a girl would have an asthma attack whenever her divorced mother would come to pick her up for the weekend. The asthma first began when the parents first filed for divorce.

The child may develop allergic coughs that do not progress all the way to asthma. Eight-year-old Frank coughed daily for two years. No reason could be found for the cough by his pediatrician. It was a little cough caused by a tickle in the throat, according to Frank. It was found upon questioning that the cough had started soon after the boy's best friend had moved away. This was a terrible blow for him, although he told no one how he felt. The remedy Natrum muriaticum stopped the cough for good.

(h) Food Cravings and Aversions:
Natrum muriaticum children have strong desires for salt and sweets. They may intensely dislike milk, fat and slimy foods. They dislike dishes that are prepared from many food elements, such as casseroles. One patient called them with disgust, "mixed-up foods."

Many Natrum muriaticum children are lactose intolerant, evidenced by indigestion or a respiratory allergy to milk.

They have a strong thirst for cold drinks and may often be found drinking copious amounts with meals.

(i) Stomach:
A large number of children complain of recurrent stomachaches or abdominal cramps.

A frequent complaint is motion sickness, especially during any long drive. These are the children who cannot be spun around in games due to nausea, and who find no pleasure in riding fast or whirling rides at carnivals.

(j) Abdomen:
Clinically, one finds that the abdominal area cramps easily in the Natrum muriaticum child. The symptoms fit an irritable bowel syndrome very well. The abdomen becomes hard to the touch, cramps up, and is accompanied by severe pain as if the colon were being grasped and squeezed by a tight fist. Those afflicted are compelled to double up with this acute attack.

(k) Rectum:
There is a tendency toward constipation. The stools are dry and the child strains and may cramp before passing a hard stool. This makes the child not want to go to the bathroom, and so habitual constipation develops. With such a history, these children develop many tiny anal fissures as well.

Young children can suffer from chronic diarrhea. The diarrhea occurs first thing in the morning, is odorless, and may be projectile. It is aggravated by the ingestion of milk or wheat and is accompanied by much flatus and cutting pains in the lower abdomen.

(l) Urogenital System:
Boys: The shy child, especially the adolescent boy, will find it difficult to urinate in a public rest room. Bed-wetting is also often reported.

Girls: Nondescript vaginitis in a young girl is not uncommon. The premenstrual syndrom plays a big role for Natrum muriaticum adolescents. Before the menses, sadness and irritability prevail. The actual menses may be painful, with backaches that get better while lying flat on the back on a hard surface. Abdominal pains that come with the menses extend down the thighs to the knees. Localized uterine pain is aggravated by the slightest jarring motion and is lessened with heat, as with the application of a heating pad directly to the lower abdomen.

(m) Extremities:
The toddler may be small and may be slow to walk and talk, learning to walk at seventeen months or later. When they finally do walk, they may turn an ankle frequently.

Clinically, a syndrome that should often bring the remedy Natrum muriaticium to mind is frequent or easily induced tendinitis. The most commonly affected tendons are those of the left shoulder, the knees, the ankles (especially the Achilles tendon, from the heel to the calf), and the fingers. The pains that accompany these inflammations are often sharp and will be amelioriated by cold and pressure.

Rheumatoid arthritis has also been successfully amelioriated by the administration of Natrum muriaticum. The onset may follow grief and may progress through all the joints very quickly. Besides the frighteningly rapid spread of the arthritis, there is usually an abundance of sharp, stitching pains in all the affected joints.

Many Natrum muriaticum children develop very stiff neck muscles. They frequently bite their nails.

(n) Skin:
The skin is often dry, cracked, and predisposed to the development of eczematous rashes. People who have eczema on their hands, elbows, ankles, hairline, or behind the ears; and which is red, raw, cracked and weepy, frequently benefit from a dose of Natrum muriaticum. The eczema itches intensely, especially when the child eats a food that she is allergic to or when she becomes hot.

There often may be a problem with hair loss. In alopecia [loss of hair in patches] cases, the scalp around the hairless patch is dry and flaky and itches a great deal. Alopecia or morphea ["a skin desease marked by the presence of indurated patches of a whitish or yellowish white color surrounded by a pinkish or purplish border," Yasgur's Homeopathic Dictionary] following an emotionally stressful situation may be aided by this remedy.

Natrum muriaticum children often have warts. Hives aggravated by exposure to the sun is another complaint found within this remedy type.

Except during sleep, when sweating can be profuse, the Natrum muriaticum child tends to show scanty or uneven perspiration. It is common for the child to become quite hot while running or playing, yet perspire only lightly, even in the summertime.

(o) Psoriasis:
Psoriasis develops readily on the Natrum muriaticum body. Often there is a specific emotional etiology such as grief that brings on the lesions. Scenarios commonly observed by the doctor include examples such as a girl of ten developing psoriasis after her parents sought a divorce, and a boy of the same age developing this condition after moving away from his friends to a new city.

The psoriasis may be unusual in several respects. It may be extremely painful, burning with each new outbreak, or it may be the rarer form of pustular psoriasis. In general, exacerbation from new grief or emotional trauma is the rule. Pustular psoriasis may have a very rapid spread accompanied by strong chills and headaches. Lastly, the lesion, while it remains curable, may behave paradoxically to all other types of psoriasis lesions. It is characteristic for this disease that the ultraviolet light of the sun ameliorates the rash. In Natrum muriaticum, however, the opposite may be found: the rash becomes aggravated by the sun's rays and the lesions grow on skin surfaces that have been exposed to the sun.

After the child has had the disease for several years, especially if strong medications have been used, this last modality is lost and the rash then becomes ameliorated by exposure to sunlight. This should make the prescriber view the case more cautiously, as the lesion is now less likely to be cured completely. With this change, one understands that the homeostatic mechanism of the individual is no longer concerned with the rash. In a few words, the body is in the process of giving up on the rash and learning to live with it rather than to fight and attempt to vanquish it.

Sleep (Herscu):
The sleep of Natrum muriaticum children is often troubled. Many find it hard to fall asleep in the first place and sometimes lie awake in their beds for several hours before succumbing. Some stay awake to recapitulate the social and emotional encounters of the day. It is as if the emotions that were repressed during the actual exchanges can finally be experienced in their full magnitude.

They usually sleep on the left side or on the back. They can talk and walk in their sleep.

Enuresis in little boys who are shy and fine skinned and who dislike being looked at will often respond to the remedy Natrum muriaticum. It is interesting that the enuresis of this remedy type is marked by the fact that the child, though ostensibly asleep, finds some kind of receptacle in which to urinate. Some children walk up to a plant in the room and urinate into the pot, while other find a sink or wastebasket.

Many Natrum muriaticum children experience anxiety-fraught dreams. They dream of being chased, of disasters, of robbers, that the school has moved and they cannot find it, that they have been abandoned, etc.

Their sleep, even when thus disturbed, is mostly refreshing.

Important General Characteristics (Herscu):
(a) Warm-blooded for the most part, Natrum muriaticum children dislike heat and stuffy rooms.

(b) They prefer the shade and dislike and are aggravated by direct sunshine.

(c) Many children are thin, pale, weak, and anemic.

(d) There is a general aggravation time from three to six o'clock in the afternoon.

Mental/Emotional Characteristics (Herscu):
"Youth is wasted on the young" is a saying that adults, observing young ones at play, often repeat. How sad, then, to find a child who has the seriousness and the heavy burden of the aged upon his young shoulders. And yet this is exactly what one finds in a Natrum muriaticum child.

As a group, Natrum muriaticum children are very well behaved and obedient. During the interview they are reserved and shy. The doctor may find several different behaviours. One child sits up straight with her legs crossed, her hands folded, and all her muscles tensed. Another child, perhaps an adolescent, exhibits how physical distancing can be manifested by slouching with his legs up on the seat, putting those legs and his entire body between the doctor's intrusive questions and himself. Yet another child sprawls on the floor behind the parent's chair, apparently relaxed while reading a book. While this may seem to show a nonchalant attitude, the Natrum muriaticum child acts this way to avoid emotional communication with the doctor. Teenagers may respond grudgingly with monosyllabic yes or no answers, a thin veneer that does not hide the facial expression that conveys another message: "I do not want to be here. I was brought here against my will by my parents. I was brought in for my headaches; why am I being grilled about my friends, my fears, my schoolwork?"

Occasionally it is felt by all in the room that a child is baring his or her soul to the interviewer. Suddenly the mood in the room changes and a very intimate bond begins to form; all joking disappears and the child begins to reveal what becomes the central focus of the case -- the true sensitive, grieved, emotional state.

The first thing that strikes one about a Natrum muriaticum child is how well-groomed he or she is. At an early age, clean clothes, coordinated outfits, and mediculously combed hair are the rule.

Almost all Natrum muriaticum children tend toward perfectionism, which may manifest at a very tender age. They like their rooms neat, their beds made, and their books and toys put away.

They may seem possessive by not letting their friends or siblings touch their special objects, but this is not out of true possessiveness; rather, it is out of the desire to keep their things clean, in order, and unbroken. These children never lose any items of personal value and will categorize, organize, and clean them with enjoyment and great care.

They become depressed or hysterical if they do not receive good grades on exams or report cards. They cry or tear up the offending page if they make a mistake while writing or coloring. They often work on homework assignments until they are absolutely sure there are no mistakes. If they do make a mistake, say on a math problem, they often do not ask for help because they think that they are "bad" people for having made the mistake.

They are very concerned with others' opinions about them. They feel strong emotions and are offended easily, so if they are laughed at or ridiculed in any way, it reinforces the negative self-image that dwells inside.

This degraded self-image mingled with social insecurities is the basis for many obsessive, perfectionistic behaviours. One way to escape the ridicules of childhood is to appear invulnerable or perfect. This "siege mentality" creates great anxiety in the child as he strives to achieve the unachievable -- perfection.

Natrum muriaticum youngsters are very sensitive. They become embarrassed easily. Many do not try anything new if they fear they might fail. This resistance may range from that of a child who refuses to play due to poor physical coordination to the shyness of a child who will not try to make new friends.

It is this tendency toward self-recrimination that pushes these children to perfect any endeavors they take on. Theirs is an inner drive to achieve, the likes of which few other remedy types possess. They may choose music, the visual arts, or sports -- it does not really matter what the vehicle of creative expression is. What is consistent is that they excel at whatever they choose.

This drive to succeed is born out of the child's dissatisfaction with her own performance or creation. The dissatisfaction leads her to push her abilities even further toward perfection, always criticizing any finished piece or performance, never hearing the compliments or applause. They become very sensitive to the slightest criticism.

The overly conscientious nature of Natrum muriaticum may cause anxiety attacks in the youth. One adolescent, Peter, had severe stomachaches and headaches whenever he became anxious about his mathematics class. He had panic attacks before exams from the fear that he would not receive good grades. His fears were not based on reality, as he was an excellent student and his parents had never pushed him to perform.

Natrum muriaticum children experience emotions very profoundly, and are especially predisposed to sadness. A death in the family, separation or divorce, or siblings and friends moving away can all trigger this disposition. Whenever a child develops disease after a severe depression or when depression accompanies an illness, Natrum muriaticum should be considered.

Above all else, Natrum muriaticum at any age is a loner. When relating to others, they like to interact on a one-to-one basis, hating and fearing larger groups. Because they push others away in fear and hypersensitivity, others begin to think of them as aloof and seemingly too serious for such young people.

Their emotionally sensitive and reactive nature combined with great shyness makes the youngster seem closed and emotionless; this could not be further from the truth. Intense and deeply felt emotions pour out onto the pages of diaries, in songs, and the canvases of paintings. Children of this type are shy with people and often have a natural love for and become very close to animals.

They seek any activity that allows them a refuge from ridicule and an opportunity to vent their emotions. The fantasy world waiting for them in books is one reason why they are often voracious readers.

In the alcololic family they often cast themselves as the heroic savior: "It is my responsibility, my fault alone." It is incredible and sometimes tragic that one finds such guilt and remorse in a child of perhaps seven years.

Grudges against and hatred of certain family members may develop, especially after being ridiculed. When hurt, they reexperience indignities, injustices and humiliation over and over again, burning with each fresh revelation and fuming as every nuance of the conflict slaps them in the face.

If they are scolded or if the parents are harsh with them, it may bring on torrents of tears. They are so sensitive to reprimand that they may weep if merely looked at the "wrong way." The child weeps easily and exhibits an aversion to being held, having a desire to be alone rather than consoled. Sometimes, when hearing something sad and moreover when having to tell someone else disheartening news, a smile inappropriately and helplessly comes to the lips. This is very characteristic of this remedy type.

These children have a negative reaction to consolation. They may actually desire consolation from their parents, but they never ask for it. "No one must know that I am needy, that I feel insecure." Attempts to console them precipitate an even greater sadness, making a bad situation worse. With acute disease this close-mouthedness may be absolutely maddening to the attending adults. The child may moan, cry, and groan but not say what is disturbing him.

The picture is sulky. Natrum muriaticum children tend to cling to a certain belief about themselves, such as that every negative event or consequence must be their fault.

A fear of evil or that something awful will happen is common. Anxiety about parents who do not arrive home on time is symptomatic of this type. Typically, there is a partial compensation for this fear in the form of an attempt to control events.

Fears may haunt them: fear of the dark, of being alone, of thunderstorms, of snakes, spiders, insects with large mandibles; fear that the cat will die; or fear that there is something around the corner. They have a great fear of robbers, of being kidnaped. Other fears may include fear of speaking in public, of heights, and of closed in spaces.

Childhood and Family Relations (Coulter):
Natrum muriaticum's grievances often stem from family relations. More often and more graphically than any other type, he exhibits the consequences of a poor relationship with one or both parents which breeds resentment and/or guilt. A classic situation is the child whose emotional problems started when the mother took a job outside the home. But when she is home, he is neither affectionate nor outwardly happy, and, in general, is not easy to have around. The other children in the family are not affected in the same way, accepting the situation and enjoying their mother when she is home. Only Natrum muriaticum so deeply resents her betrayal, and is so sensitive to her rejection or neglect, that he cannot demonstrate the need for her affection. Thus, although these grievances against the parent are sometimes legitimate, he can also be accused of making excessive demands.

The polar opposite, however, is also true. Natrum muriaticum often has a superabundance of sympathy and devotion to his parents and an extra-close relationship with them.

Some of these children feel ill at ease when touched. They do not reach out for physical closeness and have trouble expressing affection. This "don't touch me" syndrome contributes to the young Natrum muriaticum's difficult relationship with his parents. The testily independent child pushes not only any show of affection but also guidance. He rejects it when it is proffered and is angry when consoled. Thus the lessening of emotional rapport between parent and child that frequently occurs in adolescence with reduced physical contact may commence earlier in Natrum muriaticum. He projects a "leave me alone" attitude, and the parents leave him alone.

Yet, it is part of the nature's complexity and perversity to suffer inordinately from deprival of parental affection even when rejecting it. He thereby creates a "no win" situation for his parents and himself.

The "difficult" Natrum muriaticum child may originally have been well-behaved and affectionate but has turned moody and unhappy because of real or imagined parental inattention to his needs. The physician can often recognize him by his determined avoidance of eye contact, reluctance to answer questions, and resentful expression as he looks down at the floor. A prescription of the medicine in high potency, however, can cause extraordinary changes: the child is now willing to look the physician in the eye, has an open instead of a forced smile, and is described by the parents as having a "lighter" nature generally.

At times Natrum muriaticum's pathology stems from early sibling rivalry. The previously bright and happy child starts behaving badly or slackens in speech and intellectual development when he senses that his younger siblings are receiving parental preference. In fact, slow learning to talk is a strong indication for this remedy and a concrete reflection of the type's general inability to express emotion easily.

Other constitutional types in similar circumstances may feel equally jealous and resentful. They will fight for attention, argue, or intrigue; or they will learn to share or to yield; but ultimately they succeed in dealing with the situation. No so Natrum muriaticum. He may confront it by being ultracooperative, obedient and responsible. The child is so sensitive to disapproval, so longing for approbation, so fearful of parental rejection if he does not please, that he will not even tell his parents that he is afraid of the dark and would like a night light, or that he wet his pants in school and would like to change them; and a mere glance from an adult will elicit the desired behaviour. Indeed, when a parent or teacher describes a child as overconscientious, extremely anxious to avoid giving trouble, and "extra" or "unnaturally" good, the first remedy to consider is the potentized salt.

He is deeply affected by quarrels and subliminal hostility and can become actively ill as a result. For this reason, Natrum muriaticum is the remedy most frequently administered to children and adolescents who have undergone the trauma of parental divorce.

A final observation is that a child will be passionately attached to his pet, lavishing on it all the affection he cannot give to humans.

The remedy can disperse the patient's tormenting idées fixes and soften his unbending pillar-or-salt personality, permitting greater subtlety of understanding and opinion; it helps him be less vulnerable, less defensive, and less inclined to self-condemnation.

Every homeopathic constitutional remedy performs psychotherapy while working on the physical level, but in the introverted, repressed, morbidly sensitive or traumatized Natrum muriaticum this unblocking of emotions to allow the "vital force" to flow freely in the body is especially striking. After one dose, or several, of homeopathic sodium chloride, individuals suffering from long-standing dejection or severe mood swings, or who are weighted down with cares, find themselves lighter, more accepting, less judgmental of others -- more hopeful and open to the joyful aspects of life. This remedy can cut through the tangle of depression, insecurity, feelings of unworthiness and excessive self-absorption, making the patient master of himself.

 

Physical Characteristics (Herscu):

(a) Head:
The heads of Phosphorus children share three similarities with those of Calcarea carbonica: the head may often be covered with fine, silky, shiny hair; baldness occurs in certain areas when the child is experiencing serious illness such as pneumonia or bronchitis; and finally, the child may perspire profusely from the scalp

(b) Headaches:
These children tend to develop headaches, even to the point of migrains. They may be heralded by many visual changes such as photophobia, flickers, or floating spots.

The headaches are commonly preceded or accompanied by hunger; the child describes an empty feeling in the chest or stomach area. If the child, especially a teenager, misses a meal or eats too much sugar, he will probably develop a headache.

The other common type of Phosphorus headache occurs due to a sensitivity to the environment. This headache may be set off by strong odors such as perfumes, car exhausts, and tobacco smoke.

Amelioration of a headache by cold compresses applied to the head is a big clue to this remedy. During severe headaches of all kinds there may characteristically be nausea and vomiting.

(c) Eyes:
The eyes of infants and children are bright and wide open, shining with a glimmer and brilliance all their own. Phosphorus types have long eyelashes, even from birth. Another feature that may be observed is blue-tinged rings of discoloration around the eyes of a pale-faced child.

While Arnica should be the first remedy considered for subconjunctival hemorrhages in infants and children, Phosphorus should be especially considered if the bleeding recurs often, whenever the children strain during coughing or blowing the nose.

Paralysis of the optic nerve causing gradual blindness is also a complaint that should make one think of Phosphorus. The paralysis may be due to an unexplained degeneration of the nerve or may occur after a brain tumor causes papilledema with loss of visual fields. The child may have in this case many visual distortions such as "floaters."

Finally, the child may complain of eczema or seborrheic dermatitis on the eyebrows, both of which are exfoliative.

(d) Ears:
The ears are not often affected in these children. Phosphorus should come to mind for both infants and children who have had an ear infection with a bloody discharge.

(e) Nose:
The nose is frequently problematic in Phosphorus children and adolescents. Many of these children have a history of nosebleeds. The blood is bright red and profuse

It is common to elicit the fact that the child develops many colds each winter that begin in the nose.

(f) Face:
The Phosphorus face of both infants and older children is often particularly beautiful, with fine features and fine skin. The skin may be almost transparent and pallid at rest, but will flush full of color with embarrassment or excitement.

Children with allergies develop allergic "shiners": dark, often puffy, circles under the eyes.

The lips tend to become red, dry, and cracked, especially in wintertime.

(g) Mouth;
The mouth favors the development of frequent canker sores.

The tongue is long and thin. The shape of the teeth is similar to the shape of the typical Phosphorus body: long and thin.

The gums may show a tendency to bleed easily.

(h) Throat and Neck:
When Phosphorus children develop sore throats (which they do often), they are inevitably accompanied by hoarseness. The throat feels raw, dry, and burning, and the child will especially favor cold drinks for relief. Children tend to develop laryngitis with these infections.

(i) Lower Respiratory System:
The chest is one of the most affected parts of the body in this remedy type. It is noted that, from an early age, any cold quickly drops into the chest to cause a cough, bronchitis, or pneumonia, even in infants.

Since the cough can be quite painful, one may observe the child trying to hold her breath because every time she inhales, she coughs. Sufferers often hold their chests when they cough because coughing causes pain to the rib cage.

(j) Pneumonia:
Phosphorus is one of the main remedies to be considered for pneumonia in infants. An X-ray often confirms that the pneumonia is mostly in the lower lungs.

During these attacks there is also a burning sensation located anywhere in the chest. A strong concomitant feature that will help find the correct remedy is the great craving for ice-cold drinks during these attacks predominant among Phosphorus individuals, young and old alike.

(k) Asthma:
In Phosphorus, asthma is often related to allergies that are prone to be worse in the spring and fall. Other asthma attacks are set off by upper respiratory tract infections that drop into the chest, leading to the spasms. The chest tightens, feeling as if a weight were placed on the sternum. Curiously, with allergic asthmas the sternum may itch as well as feel tight.

(l) Food Cravings and Aversions:
Phosphorus children crave ice-cold foods such as ice cream, cold milk, and often just plain ice cubes. They desire chocolate, and refreshing snacks such as cucumbers. They also love sour foods such as pickles and lemons. Many of these children also love bubble gum.

They dislike eggs and bread.

This is one of the most thirst-prone remedy types in the entire materia medica, drinking many glasses of liquid a day and even waking up at night to drink. Most of the drinks will be cold to ice-cold.

(m) Stomach:
In general, the child has a good appetite. Being acutely sensitive to the blood sugar level, any time the child abstains from eating he or she will develop hypoglycemic symptoms: dizziness may ensue, a headache may develop, or mild irritability may be noted.

The stomach is one of the weakest areas of the Phosphorus constitution. With any acute infection such as influenza the child develops nausea and/or vomiting, retching at the slightest provocation. Such digestive tract problems may also occur from anxiety or stress. The keynote Phosphorus symptom of vomiting is further confirmed if it is aggravated by anything warm and ameliorated by anything cold; in fact, the colder the better. The afflicted youngster will drink ice-cold drinks or eat ice cream for relief, but as soon as the drink warms up in the stomach (in about fifteen minutes) the nausea returns.

(n) Hypoglycemia:
Children who miss meals or fast for holidays may become not only nauseous but also weak, trembly, and susceptible to headaches. Because of a rapid metabolism, the Phosphorus child seems hypoglycemic and needs to eat often. Many of these children will not be able to fall asleep because of hunger, while others will wake up in the middle of the night for want of food. They will be the first one to the breakfast table and will relish the morning meal after having "starved" the night through.

(o) Abdomen;
Many pains are experienced in the lower abdominal area. These pains aften coincide with stress, fear, anxiety, or even just excitement. As with nausea, such problems will be ameliorated by any ice-cold drink.

(p) Rectum:
The Phosphorus child tends to develop diarrhea quite easily. In infants, watch for recurring diarrhea that may accompany any illness and may last for a long time after the illness is resolved.

(q) Urogenital System:
Sometimes the child may lose bladder control when excited while awake during the day as well as when asleep at night in bed.

Quite often in teenaged girls the menstrual flow will be very heavy and consist of a bright red flow throughout the entire period. The flow may be so heavy that the adolescent becomes anemic, pale, and, quite commonly, dizzy while menstruating.

(r) Extremities:
The remedy Phosphorus has cured types of arthritis that are aggravated by first motion and by cold, and are ameliorated by continued motion.

The child tends to acquire plantar warts on either foot. The hands and feet perspire profusely any time the child is anxious or excited.

(s) Skin:
While the skin is not often affected, Phosphorus types sometimes produce the driest skin and flakiest eruptions of all the major remedies. This can range from simple dandruff to extensive ichthyosis, in which the whole skin flakes off constantly and resembles fish scales.

The child will perspire profusely.

Sleep (Herscu):
The children do not like to go to sleep alone. In the dark they fear that the room or the closet has monsters or ghosts, and every changing light and shadow pattern gives them a start. They have strong imaginations. For this reason they often report that they sleep with a light on.

Phosphorus is one of the most common remedies given to the child who, even though eight or ten years old, still sneaks into bed with his or her parents. It is not uncommon to have a thirteen-year-old Phosphorus girl still wanting to be tucked in at night.

The sleep position is often characteristic in Phosphorus children -- either on the right side or on the abdomen.

They tend to talk in their sleep, and many will sleepwalk. Sleep may be restless, as they have many nightmares.

Phosphorus infants and children usually wake up refreshed, though perhaps hungry.

Vertigo (Herscu):
Tall, thin children frequently complain of orthostatic hypotension -- low blood pressure -- when they rise quickly from a reclining position. They feel light-headed and dizzy, as if their feet do not touch the ground.

Older girls may also feel this way when they menstruate heavily.

Important General Characteristics (Herscu):
(a) Phosphorus children are generally tall, thin, and beautiful. They usually have fine-textured skin and refined features.

(b) The Phosphorus remedy type is vulnerable to bleeding problems and hemorrhages of any sort.

(c) Both the mental and physical conditions of Phosphorus children tend to be aggravated by lying on the left side, and at dusk and twilight. Amelioration is from lying on the right side, drinking cold water or eating cold food, by consolation, being rubbed, and sleep.

Mental/Emotional Characteristics (Herscu):
As a group, Phosphorus children are the most enjoyable to treat. They tend to be very communicative, excitable, and expressive. They are generally good-natured and happy from birth. They are warmhearted and like to be picked up and hugged. The children have good manners, so their parents do not hesitate to bring them to public places.

It is the nature of the Phosphorus child to be extroverted. The child is very impressionable as well as warm, outgoing and affectionate; qualities that attract others like iron filings to a magnet.

The Phosphorus child appears bright, answering questions quickly and asking many questions of her own. She extemporizes on anything, often straying from the topic at hand. It is common for the child to simultaneously answer a question and begin a new statement on a separate, though perhaps related, topic.

As a doctor, one can experience the child's openness and observe the ease with which she floats through the world, able to establish rapport easily with just about anyone. The child is very accepting and does not hold grudges. When ill, if not seriously so, the child tends to remain outgoing physically as well as verbally.

It is remarkable how specifically the child will express a desire to be rubbed, tucked in, or sung to. Young Sam, pointing to his forehead, approached me and said, "Paul it hurts here" in a most pathetic tone, reminiscent of high drama. With Phosphorus, health problems are clearly expressed, and thus the parents can greatly empathize with their child.

These bright children are often group leaders when playing games. The affection that the child emits toward others unconsciously draws them closer.

Phosphorus children love being the centre of attention. In one example, all the other children were riding bicycles and having fun. Leon was too young to know how to ride but began to cry foul play, protesting that he was not getting his fair share of the riding. He mounted a bicycle and began to ride and fall, ride and fall, over and over again until he could indeed ride the bicycle! This particular event illustrates another aspect of the Phosphorus personality: they strongly prefer not to be considered "just average."

When praise is earned in situations like these, the recipient relishes the achievements and the glory, enjoying it for all it is worth.

Phosphorus children are very enthusiastic about new environments, people, or activities. They love going to shopping malls, game arcades, and playgrounds. At times the excitement makes them almost uncontrollable. They love to play with all the toys, video machines, and games.

Phosphorus children may be quite restless from sheer excitement. Parents tell the doctor that their child "can't keep still for one minute" and cannot focus on a task long enough to finish it. Although the child is delightful, he or she fidgets all the time.

The children try to bargain with their parents. Statements such as, "I ate all my food, give me a toy," or "I did good in school, let's go to the arcade," if offered in a pleasant manner, are typical pleas of the Phosphorus child.

The child may get up many times during the night to ask for water or go to the bathroom, or anything else that gains an audience with the parents.

The child usually spends all his allowance as soon as he gets it. The parents tell the doctor that the child buys as if there is a fire in his pants pocket; he must spend every penny. If he uses his money on a toy and has a quarter left over, he will buy candy with the remainder.

Excitability is also heightened by upcoming events. Before a team game, a recital, or other event the Phosphorus child becomes anxious and may even become physically ill from anticipation.

The children may, in excitement and/or in sympathy, give away favorite toys and other possessions. This generous giving away of personal possessions is a reflection of the sensitive and giving nature of Phosphorus. The child is deeply caring, taking responsibility for siblings or animals that are in need.

Some Phosphorus children develop the lack of mental focus for which this remedy type is well known. This may be observed in the short attention span and easy distractibility of the child.

Another major aspect of the Phosphorus child is shyness, particularly during the initial interview, blushing easily, looking down at the floor, answering in a timid whisper, and looking to the parents before every response. As the interview continues, one notes that the shyness quickly fades and excitement builds within the child. Once I was treating a family over lunch. One of the three children of the group was nine-year-old Liz. At the beginning of the interview she was very shy, whispering and looking to her father for answers and not ever looking at her questioner. By the second half of the interview she was answering questions herself and beginning to pick at my food. As I watched this girl unfold and finally win my affection as well as my french fries, all I or anyone else present wished to do was hug her. This instant feeling of affection quite often helps me identify and prescribe Phosphorus.

Phosphorus children change moods and cry easily. They need affection and consolation and can cry easily and openly in front of others. They recover more quickly than some other remedy types.

The Phosphorus child becomes terribly fearful with the slightest provocation. As a parent gives an account of the child's fears, one often sees the actual terror consume the child. The eyes open wide while the mother sketches the child's reaction to a thunderstorm, as if the hapless child is reliving the experience.

The strongest and most common fears are of the dark, being alone, ghosts, and thunderstorms. These are similar to the fears of the Natrum muriaticum child. The major difference regarding the shared fears between these two remedy types is that the Phosphorus cannot help but talk about the fears with dramatic expressions that pull the listener right into the experience, whereas the Natrum muriaticum child will largely keep his fears to himself. The former is open, the later closed.

Many of the Phosphorus fears can be distilled down to the single fear that something "bad" will happen. This is experienced as a general foreboding that encompasses many facets of the child's life. The poor Phosphorus child is often left with an overactive imagination with which to fantasize what this threat might be.

If pushed further, this wild imagination makes the child fear the future. When asked what he was afraid of, twelve-year-old Paul said he feared AIDS. Having heard that it killed people and not knowing how one contracted the disease, he became anxious over the prospect of dying from it. Besides the irrationality of assuming he would contract such a disease, the fear of death in one so young is quite unusual and peculiar to this remedy type.

Fears may affect the stomach. Nausea, stomachaches, vomiting, ulcers, or diarrhea may develop with these fears as they become somaticized.

The Eternal Child (Coulter):
Whether actively seeking it or inadvertently attracting it, Phosphorus from an early age manages to capture notice. He is appealing in both looks and manner, and even passers-by exclaim, "What an attractive child!" "Just look at those eyes!" The cry is instinctive, as they gaze with open admiration at a child whose alertness, grace, charm, and bubbling good spirits compel attention.

Phosphorus can be impatient, desiring gratification at the very moment and, if thwarted, throwing impressive tantrums. But he is easily appeased and snaps out of his anger whenever he pleases. He does not allow sadness to last and does not bear resentment. Like a jack-in-the-box he pops up smiling even after being reprimanded. The sensitive nature feels the disgrace but covers it up, all the sooner to reenter others' good graces.

As concerns his studies the young Phosphorus loves anything that captures his imagination, such as having stories told or read to him, but dislikes anything requiring sustained application, anything that is not "fun." At the same time he wants to be the best in everything without really working for it. Whatever he is trying to accomplish, he must "get it" the first time. If unsuccessful or thwarted in his  attempt, he may react hysterically, stamping, shouting, or throwing down his tools in frustration. Because he is quick and absorbs things easily, he often does manage to be a good, but not an excellent, student without studying too hard.

Phosphorus children are seldom mean and do not bully others. They are not necessarily angels, but they gain the upper hand in a diverting, not a disagreeable, way. When they must weasel out of a tricky situation, they look you directly in the eye while fabricating a complete untruth. With their ready imagination, they are adept at twisting the facts or concocting spur-of-the-moment explanations why they didn't do their homework or their chores. In contrast with the Natrum muriaticum child who looks guilty even when he is not, and who always gets caught in the slightest fib, you feel that the Phosphorus child must be telling the truth with those wide eyes gazing straight at you. But by no means! The more innocent Phosphorus looks, the guiltier he usually is.

Their mischievousness comes out in teasing, playing jokes on others, or tricking their elders. Children less than a year old and still unable to walk, may crawl away to hide in a closet; while others are searching and shouting their names in concern, they sit concealed, gurgling with pleasure at their own cleverness.

They are popular without necessarilly being leaders; they are just friendly, vital, and enthusiastic. Friends and strangers alike respond to his expansive charm, and many a dreary life has been brightened by the antics of a lively Phosphorus.

All this excitement and stimulation may undermine his health, however, and the adolescent begins to suffer from headaches, insomnia, and nervousness; or more subtly, he loses his emotional stability and mental cohesion. The younger child may even fall ill from anticipation or excitement: of such happy events as Christmas, participating in a school play, or a birthday party. Or he remains sleepless and overwrought long after an event.

The constitutional type is recognized in the patient who is likable and attractive and displays the warm and extroverted manner of one who wants to be liked and can make himself liked; who has developed and put to good use his wonderfully positive approach to people and life. He may possess a brighter luminescence but will always evince that special Phosphorus sympathy and responsiveness that ranks compassion before justice and generosity before truth.

Yet he may also suffer from a tendency to emotional excess, lack of restraint, confusion of fantasy with reality, and uncertainty about his own identity. His imagination outweighs his understanding, his unstability overrules his judgment; he believes only what he wants to believe, is governed by caprice and cannot see beyond himself. So that for all his promise and fine talents his life falls short of its potential.
 

Pulsatilla - Children's Constitutional Type