Infantile eczema managed with homoeopathy- a case report

Dr Fasna T

ABSTRACT:
Eczema is a chronic atopic disease that is highly prevalent among children worldwide. Infantile eczema is characterised by rosy erythematic cheeks with fissuring of the skin folds behind the ear, saddening of neck folds, dryness, itching and scaling of extensor surfaces of arms, wrist and legs¹. From the last few decades, accumulating evidence has suggested a potential correlation between the experience of stress by mothers and risk of eczema in their child.² It’s an evidence based case report of a 7 month old male baby treated with Homoeopathic Medicine Sepia 200C. This shows that Homoeopathy can treat such conditions in reliable, gentle and fastest way.

KEYWORDS:  Infantile eczema, Homoeopathy, Case report, Sepia, Maternal stress.

INTRODUCTION: Eczema usually develops in early childhood and is more common in people who have a family history of the condition. It is relatively common, affecting 10-20% of children in developed countries. About one third of eczema cases in children manifest during the first year of life and another third during the second year, remaining one third first appear during later childhood. Atopic eczema is often the first manifestation of atopic disease in infancy and is generally considered to be the initial cutaneous manifestation of systemic diseases including food allergy, asthma and allergic rhinitis, the so called atopic march.

Because a large proportion of eczema cases occur in the first year of life, it is assumed that eczema may be triggered by environmental factors in the prenatal and perinatal periods .³

Usually the symptoms will be presented in a characteristic age dependent distribution with facial, scalp, and extensor involvement in infants and young children and predominant flexural involvement in older children and adult.

According to Homoeopathic principles, suppressed eruptions always lead to deeper diseases. As Homoeopathic medicines are prescribed in very mild doses which are best suited to babies.

CASE REPORT:
A 7 month old male baby brought to the Outpatient Department of Government Homoeopathic Medical College, Bengaluru on 20/2/2020 with the complaint of erythematous eruptions on the both the cheeks and legs for the past one month.

History of presenting complaints: Baby was apparently healthy till the last month. Gradually, eruptions started increasing in its size, became round, reddish on both the cheeks. After one week he developed same type of eruptions on both the legs.

No history of contact with any irritants, no fever, no itching and bleeding.

Past history: Nothing significant.

Mother’s history during pregnancy: Had stress during pregnancy.
Abruptio placenta– preterm delivery (8^th month)

Physical generals:

• Appetite: Normal
• Thirst: Normal
• Urine: Normal
• Stool: 3-4 times/day
• Sleep: Sound, prefers sleep on abdomen.
• Thermal: Towards chilly

Mental generals: Irritable.

Family history: Father-Sinusitis, Mother-Atopic dermatitis, Allergic rhinitis, Grandmother- Eczema.

Totality of Symptoms:

• Erythematous eruption on both cheeks and legs.
• Bilaterally symmetrical.

Evaluation of symptoms:

• Mental General: Irritable
• Physical General: Chilly patient.
• Characteristic particulars: Bilateral eruptions, Reddish round eruptions

Prescription:  20/2/2021 Sepia 200 CH 1 dose

DISCUSSION:
Homoeopathy is a system of medicine where  we concider not only the local symptoms of the patient but also the physical make up, family history and the person as a whole. In this case sepia was chosen based on the individualisation and  we got fast recovery in a gentle way. Eruptions started reducing first from cheek then legs within one month of treatment the skin was completely cleard, and patient continued the follow ups for next 4 months with no recurrence of skin complaints. No local application was used.

CONCLUSION:
Infantile eczema is the most common skin disease affecting children. The burden of disease from this significant not only for patient but also their families.

Homoepathic medicines arre the gentle medicine for infants and children with eczema as it doesnot cause any long term side effects and rapidly reduces the discomfort, irritation and inflammation that comes with this condition. This case report is accompanied by photographic evidence along with improvement in patient symptoms.

DECLARATION OF PATIENT CONSENT :Parent of the patient was explained about the study and consent was obtained.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am thankful to DR.V.Guruprasad Principal & HOD Paediatric department and Dr Muddassir Mulla  Associate Professor, Paediatric department ,GHMC Bengaluru for their constant support and guidance.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST :Nil

REFERENCES:

1. Gupte suraj.The Short Textbook of Pediatrics. 12 e/d (2), New Delhi: Jaypee brothers; 2016.
2. Chan CW, Law BMH, Liu YH, et al.The Association Between Maternal Stress and Childhood Eczema: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.Feb 2018, 15(3),395 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph1503039
3. Wislaw Jedrychowsky, Frederica Perera, Umberto Mougeri et al. Effect of Prenatal and Perinatal Exposure to Fine Air Pollutants and Maternal Fish Consumption on the Occurrence of Infantile Eczema.

Dr FASNA T
MD Part-II Department of Paediatrics,
Government Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Bengaluru.

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