Jamie* is a six-year-old boy whose mum first got in contact with me about his Molluscum Contagiosum (known as water warts, it is a viral infection of the skin that results in small, raised, pink lesions). I recommended a homeopathic remedy (Thuja Occidentalis) and his skin cleared up.

Six months later, Jamie’s mum got in contact again as he had developed a rash near his groin. She had treated with Sudocrem, Bio Oil and Child’s Farm moisturiser but to no affect. She suspected it may be eczema but did not want to give her son steroid cream as she was aware that if used frequently it can thin the skin.

Jamie’s mum said he was also feeling sad as he had a new, much stricter teacher at school now and the classes had moved around so he was not with his main friends anymore. He had also been feeling sad since his grandfather had died a few months before.

She described her son as tending to put on a brave bold front while being quite sensitive underneath and not coping well with change. He was good at maths, and sporty – enjoying kick boxing, swimming and karate every week. On the whole he was a healthy boy though lately had been prone to constipation as well.

I prescribed Jamie the remedy Natrium Muriaticum (Nat Mur) for a few weeks.

This homeopathic remedy is helpful for for a child after he or she has undergone a grief (for Jamie this would be his grandfather and the ‘loss’ of his friends from his class) and becomes withdrawn and sad, rather than overtly upset and in need of consolation. Physical symptoms can include depression, respiratory symptoms, skin problems (eczema, psoriasis), digestive problems (constipation), bedwetting.

Jamie responded very well to the remedy, gradually cheering up and settling into his new class, making new friends as well as playing with his old friends at breaktimes. The remedy helped his body to integrate the sadness he felt and adapt to the changes in his life. The eczema was a physical expression of how he had been feeling, once the remedy had helped to rebalance him it faded away.

Homeopathy reaches the parts that steroid cream can’t!

* Name changed for privacy purposes