Though it is true that every child presents a problem to its parents, some are so much worse than the general runs that they are singled out and get top priority in their class. These children are too frequently the first, and often the last, to be born to their parents. They may not be wilfully spoiled, but too much attention has always been give. If not till they are taken for checkups, their diet discussed, planned, and life so regulated that the mother has little time left for anything else. Gone are the days of nurse-maid and governess. The whole house is revolving about the health and habits of little Willie or Mary; thus they become top priority and, if the child has any brains at all, he soon recognizes and acts upon this exalted state.
Stir into this explosive mixture a few quarts of inherited psora and a little touch of the other two miasms and we have a real problem, not only child but father and mother as well. When Willie or Mary is ill everything else at home stops and they have reached their zenith. But for them it works in a downward direction. They sense the fear and insecurity in their parents and become fearful or sickest-conscious themselves. A child loves to exhibit a bandaged finger or limb. They glory in sickness and, if not too ill, put on a good show, but at the same time there is a loss of security. They want more attention, wont stay alone, become too demanding and, if not too ill, are a veritable pain in the neck.
The psora cases are not generally too ill. Parents should never discuss the childs health before him.
A problem child may be born that way, in which case we have some mental or physical defect from birth, or he may be a fine healthy child to all appearance at birth and gradually develop complaints as the months pass. Frequently the dentition period starts him off. These may become the hypertonics, the eczemas, the asthmas, or the type who are subject to infections: throats, ears, pyelitis, rheumatic fever, glands, etc.
The allergic or sensitive child may not show symptoms for some months, or may start right in being unable to take cows milk, orange juice, cod liver oil, etc. This sensitivity may change with the climate, with alterations of altitude, and from one season of the year to another. How foolish and next to impossible it is, then, to try to eliminate these trigger substances from the diet and environment. My son would break out in a rash and wheeze in ten minutes after being in the room with our blonde spaniel, but at home they had a well-furred Alsatian shepherd dog who was about all the time and from exposure to whom he had no reaction. This phenomena was most apparent upon his return from overseas and gradually passed with the return to normal living.
The following simple case sketch well illustrates the need of common sense and a little homoeopathic prescribing.
December 1949–Richard, aged 10, weight 78, tall, slender, “all legs and arms,” nervous, restless, was born in Calgary and within a month became allergic to cod liver oil and orange juice but could take milk. The family moved to Victoria B.C. (sea level) where he developed sensitiveness to milk. In about three years time they moved back to Calgary and soon he could take milk again. Following another two-year period, they were moved to Vancouver where he was in a damp house and here bronchitis started.
When cocoa was eliminated he bronchitis cleared up, but ice cream disagreed. They decided to move to a higher altitude (750 ft.) and sinus commenced, and tonsils would swell and become sore from milk or ice cream. When the family arrived in Toronto he was worse from oatmeal porridge; a rash comes if he takes bran. The allergist claimed he was sensitive to food proteins but not to pollens. He gets bilious from oils or fat, hives from strawberries, maple syrup and peaches. We have a winter fair to which he went and, while watching the horse show, coryza and wheezing developed. He has a hydrocele. Pulsatilla 200.once a week was prescribed and a full diet. There has been uninterrupted improvement.
THE EASILY INFECTED TYPE:
December 1950–Miss Linda, aged 10. For the last three years each November this child appears to catch a slight cold, becomes too easily fatigued, sensitive, weeps about going to school, etc., starts running a temperature which lasts for months then gradually leaves. All known tests show nothing. She cuts the fat off her meat. Sulphur 30. stat. and in 2 weeks placebo.
January 1951–Has had five more tests: no diagnosis, no relief, still tired and has high temp. Pulsatilla 30. once a week.
