From Our Rich Heritage
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1998 Jan / Feb VOL VII NO 1.
T.K.Kasiviswanathan
'Bism / Thuja / Sacc-off / Lyss / Aranea-ixo

The following are some cases of behavioural disorders in children, which have been cured by Homoeopathic remedies, as reported in recent Homoeopathic literature. Two cases illustrate that the many times, a child's behaviour is a result of the mother's state during pregnancy; understanding that state leads to the similimum. 

Case 1
A boy, 9 year old, was the only child in the family. He was domineering and dictatorial. He was active, mischievous, precocious and talkative. He suffered from asthma. During asthmatic attacks he used to vomit and sleep on the abdomen. He was so very possessive of his mother that he would ask his father to sleep on the floor. He would get upset if his mother got upset. He would ask his mother to be happy so that he could pass his examination. Initially Lycopodium helped.

Then a crisis came when he had to change his school. It transpired that his friends in school asked him to swear on his mother to prove his integrity. This had upset him greatly and he became very anxious and was muttering "I have sworn on my mother"

This thought was so overwhelming that he could not concentrate on his studies and was not able to communicate with others. He clung to his mother constantly and wept for hours every day from the fear of losing his mother. Bismuth 200 was given on the basis of this peculiar symptom and the fact that he could not stay alone (fear of being alone). In Hering's Guiding Symptoms it is noted 'desire for company'. The child holds on to its mother's hand. Solitude is unbearable'. In Chitkara's Materia Medica of Mind under this remedy the exact rubric is "takes the hand of mother, will always" Within the next 24 hours of taking this remedy, 80% of his anxiety was gone, and later he was not clinging to his mother as before. His complaint of asthma was considerably relieved. 4 doses completely relieved him.
Dr Jayesh Shah 

Case 2
A 2 ½ year old child was brought to Dr Jayesh Shah with the complaints of fever, recurrent eye inflammation and respiratory infections. He was found to be very obstinate and, coming from a rich family, he was pampered. He became domineering and wanted to have his own way. He would throw tantrums and show a lot of frustration if his wishes were not fulfilled. He was extremely fastidious and meticulous and stubborn about trifles- gave instructions on how things should be done. He would not like to get his fingers "dirty" while eating and continuously wiped his hands clean and would be upset if a small particle of food got stuck in his hand. There were many occasions of whimsical behaviour when he would cling to his mother and cry for hours lamenting for one thing or the other. He was an extremely fearful child and could not tolerate animals approaching him. He would be terror- stricken to go to the doctor and would have to be dragged. He was very fearful if the doctor approached him for physical examination.

During the period November 1992 and June 1994 no remedy gave any relief. On June 25, he came down with high fever and severe cough but would not let go off his grandmother for fear that his mother would take him to the doctor.

Dr Shah inquired about his mother's state during pregnancy as in several cases the mother's state during pregnancy gets implanted on the child. It was revealed that during pregnancy the mother was confined to the bed for fear of miscarriage, as there was a history of miscarriages in the family. Priests were called daily to offer prayers for her safe delivery. Though the boy's mother was not particularly religious yet the excessive religious atmosphere in the family affected her strongly.

On the basis of mother's state during pregnancy, his fear of being touched and examined, his obsessive qualities and his fixed ideas, Thuja 1M one dose was given. This completely changed his mental state to normalcy. He was last seen at the end of March 1995 and he continued to do well thereafter.
Reported by Dr Sunil Anand

Case 3
A six-year-old boy was brought to Dr Tinus Smits for diarrhoea from eggs, tomatoes, fruit and sweets. The main problem with the boy was his behaviour. He was hyperactive, rebellious and threw temper tantrums. He would kick, hit and break things, even biting his brother maliciously and biting objects to destroy them. He was afraid of anyone taller and bigger than him and struck first in self-preservation. He was loquacious and wanted to be cuddled constantly by his mother.

He was intolerant of punishments; his aggression was especially directed against his mother--she was the loveliest and at the same time most horrible mother. He was very dictatorial; fell down all the time and constantly needed confirmation of his mother's love and whether he had done well. He perspired on the head and feet in the night. He was afraid of monsters in the night and felt weak between 2 and 3 p.m. The initial prescription of Belladonna did not help He constantly craved sweets and was always hungry and longed for warm milk.Lyco MK was effective only for two weeks. After careful examination of the case he was given Saccharum-off MK. After this dose his behaviour was unbearable for three weeks and after the second dose his aggression disappeared and he became cheerful and reasonable; less tired and dared to compete with other children; less fear of failure. He no longer fell screaming and kicking and apologised instead of kicking his mother when reprimanded. He started asking for fruits instead of sweets.
The important symptoms for prescribing Sacc-off in children as given by Dr. Tinus Smits are:-

1. Very pale white as sugar.
2. Perspiration profuse especially at night, sometimes only on the head as Calc-carb
3. Great need to cuddle to be caressed and touched
4. Sucking fingers almost the whole day or putting everything in mouth.
5. Forsaken feeling; desire to be held in the arms of the mother and desire to sleep with parents.
6. Loquacity
7. Jealousy and delusion that his parents do not love him or is less loved than his brothers or sisters.
8. Extremely restless, angry, aggressive and quarrelsome, disobedient after taking chocolate or sweets.
9. Pain in the abdomen around navel.
10. Timidity and fear of failure.
11. Homesickness

Dr. Tinus Smits