Serendipity or Cure?
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2002 Jul / Aug VOL 4 NO 4.
Dr Rama Hariharan
'Naja

A young middle class lady brought her second child, 40 days old, for a murmur in the heart. She was new to Homeopathy but had immense faith that it would help her child. 4 days after birth, the pediatrician found some murmur and sent the child for a cardiac exam. Echo Cardiogram revealed a small mid muscular VSD 2-3 mm with L-R shunt seen in left Aortic arch, rest of the features were normal. Though the Cardiologist assured the parents that the chances of spontaneous closure were very high, the parents were not willing to take a chance and opted for Homoeopathy.

The child cried every night since 15 days. Sometimes also cried before urination. Stools were constipated, off and on. A slight watery discharge from the umbilicus still persisted and there was a mild rash on the neck. Suckling was normal.

O/E RS- NAD. Abd. - soft. Child very alert and responsive to sound.

Family History: M-gestational DM MGM, MGF- DM, MU- IDDM.

Past History: birth- C section, wt normal
As there seemed to be no perceptible reason for the crying I thought that the indicated remedy would definitely help the child’s vital force to help itself.
Murphy pg14: abdomen discharge, umbilicus
Pg 239: child screaming.
Pg799: heart murmur

19/10/01 Abrotanum 200 1p SL15p. Naja 30 1P weekly
5/11/01 Since 2 days -frothy, curdled stools. Pain before urination, navel discharge>, night screaming >
Murphy pg 240: children, urination painful, child cries;
Pg1428: stools curdled and frothy. As acute, Calc-carb 200 2P bd SL 10p Followed by Naja 30 1p when child stools better.
29/11/01 Child > Calc-Carb 2001p SL 10p Naja 30 2p weekly once
3/1/02 Last week DPT inj was given. The site of inj still hard . Since 2 days -nose running, deep, short, dry cough, breath sounds during sleep. Even after moving legs for a little time - becomes breathless. He has just started turning over in bed. O/E NAD

F.Schroyens pg 976 respiration difficult from least exertion;
pg998 cough with heart affections. Arn 200 1p Naja 30 6p bd followed by SL10p
6/1/02 Mother called in to say child had no cough. She thanked me profusely as the latest Echo was normal. She still brings the child for the occasional upper respiratory tract problems. He responds very well to some acute remedies.
His milestones are normal and is now so mischievous that he is quite a handful!!

Notes-I chose Naja as an organ remedy. I do not know if the H remedy helped the heart or it was a spontaneous closure, as assured by the Cardiologist. But I do know that it has converted an entire family to respect and think of H as the preferred choice of healthcare.
2. The response was very quick within few months, so the chances of the remedy having played a role, are high.

(Ed comments: Spontaneous closure also may occur so fast- between 3-6mths. Secondly, extreme crying at urination - look for balanitis - very common but often ignored in practice.)