Remember Sepia when milk causes constipation (Sil.).
It should be noted here that in the treatment of constipation in children laxatives of all sorts should be strictly avoided as they form a bad habit which becomes very difficult to correct in later years. In regulating diets of the child the writer recommends with benefit honey to lick. It can be given 3 or 4 times a day and 5 to 8 drops at a time.
DIARRHOEA.
Now let us take up diarrhoea in the treatment of which Homoeopathy has already won many laurels. Even a reputed friend of ours in the opposite camp will, sometimes, envy the success that an ordinary quack practising homoeopathy can display in the treatment of diarrhoea in children. In the treatment of diarrhoea the writer finds it convenient for selection of medicines if they are grouped according to their time of aggravation and distinguishing them next in accordance with the condition of stools and causation.
Let us take up morning diarrhoea to start with and the commonly indicated medicines are Sulphur, Natrum sulph and Podophyllum. Sulphur diarrhoea may begin any time in the morning, usually near about 4, but the urging is always sudden and violent. The child opens his eyes with the urge or rather the urging awakes the child. This peculiarity is the leading feature of Sulphur diarrhoea.
The diarrhoea ceases in the vicinity of 10 a.m. and the child remains well for the rest of the day. Podophyllum diarrhoea, though begins in the morning, has neither of these features, on the other hand it continues throughout the day though becomes less frequent in the afternoon. It is notorious for gushing diarrhoea, copious in quantity, exhausting the child every time. It is more suitable during dentition and in warm weather. Natrum-sulph. has yellow, watery stools associated with cold, more particularly damp cold.
Petroleum diarrhoea may begin in the morning and continues throughout the day like Podo. but no stool during night will distinguish it from all other remedies.
For afternoon aggravation, perhaps, Arsenicum-album, Cinchona and Calcarea-carb will be enough. Arsenicum has thirst, anguishness and small but offensive stools. Prostration is always very prominent where this remedy is required. Cinchona has yellow or yellowish watery stools but it is the presence of undigested foods in the stool and the painless character that lead us to its choice. Diarrhoea after each feeding (Arg-n., Ars.) To derive full benefit from Calcarea-carb the constitutional symptoms should be taken into consideration and they have been described under constipation.
Both Phosphorus and Pulsatilla have diarrhoea worse in the evening. The former may be needed in painless diarrhoea after some pulmonary troubles. Stools changing every time in color, quantity and quality, no two stools alike, is the keynote of the latter.
For diarrhoea worse at night think of Ars., Cinch., Cham., Merc., Puls. and Sulph. All these remedies have already been described with the exception of Chamomilla and Mercurius. Both of them have green diarrhoea, but the former is distinguished by its characteristic irritability of mood and is more suitable for teething complaints while the latter by its peculiar pain and tenesmus which continue even after the stools; the child continues to strain as if some stools has been left inside.
Diarrhoea after midnight is found under Ars. and Sulph first and Arg-n. and Nux-v. next.
Argentum-nit. diarrhoea is worse after every meal. The child passes the stools involuntarily immediately after he is nursed. The stools may have natural color when passed but become green after standing for some time on the diaper. This is our sheet anchor for sugar aggravation.
Now-a-days it has become a common practice to add glucose with the childs milk. If these children develop diarrhoea, particularly green diarrhoea, then Arg-n. will take over the charge. But glucose must be discontinued first. If it becomes necessary to add some sugar in the childs milk then Arg-n. can be given in lactose and put in the childs bottle.
Nux-vom. has frequent urging but the stools are notably scanty.
Now if we classify the medicines in accordance with the common conditions of stools selection will be easier. We can conveniently name these conditions first as (i) green diarrhoea, (ii) sour diarrhoea, (iii) painless diarrhoea and then as (1) lienteric stools, (2) achiled stools, (3) involuntary stools, (4) acrid stools and (5) offensive stools with putrid odor.
But the prescriber will find it more convenient for consultation if the other possible remedies are described first so that he may find them all in one place. Hence let us describe other common remedies for diarrhoea before entering into stool conditions.
Acid-Phos :- Painless, unexhausting diarrhoea of rachitic children. White, watery stools, coming out with much flatus. The stools are copious but do not weaken the child proportionately. On the contrary he may be seen jolly and playing merrily. It has also involuntary stools.
Aloe :- Much flatus, rumbling in abdomen, stools escape involuntarily while passing flatus. Diarrhoea with sudden and violent urging immediately after eating or drinking.
Apis :- Chronic diarrhoea with scanty urine and thirstlessness.
Bismuth:- Diarrhoea with great thirst and frequent micturition. Cholera infantum.
Borax will be suitable in diarrhoea with stomatitis of children. Dread of downward motions is its keynote.
Calcarea-phos is suitable for rachitic children with open fontanelles. Green stools and great flatulence.
Chamomilla is very often abused in diarrhoea of teething children. To derive full benefit from this drug its characteristic irritable mood should be given first consideration. The stools are green, watery, corroding and offensive. In colic the child gets no relief anywhere or in any position except being carried continuously. After Chamomilla Sulphur completes the case.
Colocynth is notorious for its colicky pains. The cutting pain in abdomen makes the child drag its legs over the abdomen. It is more suitable in dysentery with such cutting pains and it comes after Mercurius. The stools are green.
Croton-tig. will be indicated when the bowels are moved with a spasmodic jerk and it is all out like a shot. Diarrhoea as soon as the child eats or drinks anything. Copious watery stools, rather yellow than green.
Ferrum-met. should be thought of in diarrhoea if the child has motions while eating or drinking (after eating or drinking- Chin.). It has painless diarrhoea with lienteric stools.
Gambogia:- The urging is sudden but it is only after a long waiting and straining that the stool gushes out all at a time (compare Crot-tig.). The stools are watery yellow but sometimes colorless. The pains are relieved after stools.
Helleborus should be thought of in diarrhoea associated with acute hydrocephalus: the child rolls the head from side to side (Podo): involuntary and colorless watery stools with or without mucus.
Hepar-sulph:- Diarrhoea worse after eating, drinking and during the day time (Compare Petr., Podo.). The stools may be green, slimy and lienteric or whitish and sour smelling accompanied by sour vomiting and sour eructations.
Iodium:- will be useful in chronic diarrhoea with progressive emaciation and canine hunger, stools are light colored, and induration of some gland or glands is its accompanying feature.
Ipecac:- Persistent nausea is its chief characteristic, Grass- like green, frothy, watery stools, especially during summer. The child tosses about and cries. The stools are frequent small, yellow or green. The tongue is almost always clean.
Magnesia-carb:- This remedy will work like a specific if the stools are green and sour smelling. It has gripping colicky pain and tenesmus before stools. Remember this remedy when milk passes undigested in nursing children.
Mercurius dulcus:- This is perhaps the most frequently indicated remedy for green diarrhoea of children. Tenesmus is the most prominent symptom when this medicine is indicated.
Natrum-mur, will be useful in chronic diarrhoea with marked thirst in emaciated children. Its emaciation begins from and is more prominent around the neck.
Natrum-phos is Dr. Schusslers medicine for sour smelling stools may be green or yellow. It will be more suitable if worms are present.
Natrum-sulph will be suitable in chronic diarrhoea associated with liver affections. The stools are green and there is much rumbling in abdomen. It has a constant pain in the liver region which is sometimes, sensitive to touch.
Opium will be the remedy in chronic diarrhoea when the child has been in the habit of taking this hypnotic in crude form.
It is very bad practice of mothers in our country to create opium habit in their children. These ignorant mothers give this drug to quieten their children without thinking of its serious consequences. Opium in potentized form will help to reform this bad habit.
Phosphorus: – Painless diarrhoea worse in the morning. Its stools are watery and contain white particles like sago. In involuntary stools it seems as if the anus remain open and at times it actually remains so. The child is overgrown, thin and slender.
