MAGNESIA CARBONICUM is another medicine with intolerance of milk and sour vomiting. It has lienteric stools, usually white, putty- like.
The other two medicines that should have been placed under Aethusa group are Calc-c. and Ant-c.
SULPHUR acts well to complete these cases. It follows Aeth. well. Morning diarrhoea, unhealthy skin, and dislike to bath are some of its leading features.
BELLADONNA, though itself is not a medicine for indigestion, acts like a magic if toxaemia predominates in association with fever and convulsion. Throbbing headache with red face will further confirm its application.
These are the drugs frequently indicated in childrens indigestion; but to complete this chapter we have to deal with a few other complaints attributable to the stomach.
Flatulence is one of these troubles and LYCOPODIUM, CARBO-VEG, and CHINA will cover this condition. Lyco. acts well when it is associated with constipation, excessive accumulation of wind in the lower abdomen, on close observation it will be found that the flatus is really incarcerated in a small pocket or in several such pockets in the intestine; loud rumbling in abdomen and 4 to 8 p.m. aggravation.
Carbo-veg. will be useful if the flatulence is associated with diarrhoea; upper abdomen is more bloated, the flatus being incarcerated in the stomach. China too has diarrhoea accompanied by flatulence, but where China is indicated the whole abdomen, upper as well as lower, is bloated with flatus. The child is anaemic either from malaria or from prolonged drainage; lienteric stools and diarrhoea immediately after eating.
Anorexia is another trouble for which the parents often consult a physician. The real cause of this trouble should be ascertained by careful and thorough examination of child and drugs should be selected accordingly. As anorexia in children is usually connected with inactivity of the liver functions LYCOPODIUM will be found again the most frequently indicated remedy. Lyco. has good appetite but still the child feels bloated after a few mouthfuls; its satiety is usually associated with constipation, deposits of urates on diaper and irritable mood on waking from sleep.
CHINA will be the medicine for impaired appetite when it is associated with anaemia from chronic diarrhoea or malaria. CHININUM ARS. acts like a tonic in anorexia with considerable weakness and emaciation after some acute disease such as typhoid or influenza. During the summer when every thing is dry except the body which perspires so freely, and every one, irrespective of age, indulges in cold drinks we find a counterpart of it in BRYONIA.
It has every thing dry, the lips are dry, the tongue is dry, the whole mouth is dry, even the stools are dry and burnt; no desire to eat, great longing for drinks in large quantities at a time and easy perspiration. Thus we find Bryonia as the most appropriate similia for loss of appetite during summer. In other seasons the symptom “drinks much and eats little” will remind us of SULPHUR. CALC. and NUX-V are the other two drugs frequently indicated in anorexia of children.
Well, now for bulimy. CINA is far and away the most frequently indicated medicine for this condition. The Cina child is hungry at meals, between meals and immediately after meals as well as soon as after vomiting. In short he is hungry all the time and even after a full meal he would like to have something more to eat. While the parent narrates the story of the childs peculiar appetite the physician finds out his medicine from a look at the childs face, as this wonderful polychrest is full of prominent objective symptom.
Firstly the child is irritable; weeps pitifully; wants to be carried which does not give any relief; does not like to be touched or to be looked at (Ant-cr.); and secondly boring the finger into the nose, or playing with the finger-tips; rubbing the nose on the nurses shoulder or on the pillow; one cheek red while the other pale; the peculiar vacant look with dilated pupils and glassy sclera; dark rings under the eyes, all these symptoms can be seen from casual glance at the child. Does there still remain any need to ascertain whether the child grinds his teeth during sleep?.
Our next choice will be GRAPHITES which has abnormal appetite. But this child is hungry at meals only and he becomes impatient when the meal time comes; he cannot wait any longer; any further delay upsets him. The Graphites children are fat and constipated; the stools are small balls bound together with mucus. Unhealthy skin and they will have some skin eruptions or eczema oozing out a honey-like substances. Deep cracks behind the ears and chronic blepharitis, or eczema on the edge of eyelids; falling of eye- lashes. These are the symptoms to determine the application of this drug.
CALCAREA CARB. has some similarity with Graphites constitution and has also inordinate hunger; but it is not difficult to distinguish the constitutions.
LYCOPODIUM has a good appetite and yet the child does not gain any weight. These children usually suffer from some hepatic or pulmonary affections. Sallow complexion and constipation.
PHOSPHORUS child has an empty sensation in abdomen and hence the child wants to eat something all the time. The pain in stomach is relieved from eating, especially cold drinks and foods. The child is tall and shoulder; of fair complexion, anaemic with periodical digestive upsets.
Both Calc-c and Graph. are suitable for fat children; Lyco. for children of normal size and weight; rather a bit below than above; and Phosphorus child is slender and decidedly of subnormal weight. All these four drugs have habitual constipation, but each of a different type. Now we shall pass on to the remedies having good, rather abnormal appetite with progressive emaciation.
We shall take up NATRUM MUR first as both the appetite and emaciation under this drug are, though well marked, yet of lesser degree than the other two described hereafter. In the text we have “Loosing flesh all along though the child living well.” The emaciation is well marked on the neck and thence extends downwards. The child is constipated and is liable to summer complaints. He has a definite desire for salt and salty foods and an equally marked dislike to bread; well marked thirst. Irritable temper, weeps at trifles and finds no relief from consolation which, on the contrary, makes him furious.
Next we shall take up ABROTANUM which has ravenous hunger with constant emaciation, even to actual marasmus. The atrophy is more marked on the legs with an upward tendency (reverse of Nat-m.). The child has constipation but alternated with diarrhoea of lienteric stools. The face is wrinkled and the skin flabby, hanging loose in foods. It acts better in high potencies, 200th and above.
IODIUM is suitable for scrofulous children, rather brunettes than blondes, voracious appetite, great emaciation and profound debility. The child wants to eat all the time as if he is born to eat only. During and after meals the child becomes fresh, keen, lively and buoyant. Any delay in feeding will make him anxious and worried. Amelioration of all ailments and great relief from eating is most marked in this drug and this is the only reliable symptom of this medicine. In addition you may find achyle stools.
PSORINUM child becomes hungry in the middle of the night, must have something to eat before he can sleep again.
SULPHUR has hunger in the vicinity of 11 a.m. It may be required as an intercurrent remedy along with any of the above drugs.
For indigestion during hot weather think of Aeth., Ant-c., Bry., and Puls.
For indigestion from an exposure to cold think of Ars., Nux-v.
For indigestion from over-eating think of Nux-v., Ip., and Ant-
cr.
For flatulent dyspepsia think of Carb-v., Arg-n., Cal-p.
For aggravation from sugar give Arg-n.
For acute milk aggravation Aethusa is the first possibility, next comes Lac-can., and Lac defl.
Remember:- Arsenicum vomiting as soon as water reaches the stomach.
Phosphorus vomiting as soon as water becomes warm in the stomach which may take 5 to 10 minutes.
Ignatia stomach is hysterical which means that plain and simplest foods bring digestive upsets and yet the child can digest well most undigestible things. So do not disbelieve the mothers story when she says that mixed-milk or barley-water upsets the childs stomach but he thrives well on bread or rice.
