We are in the midst of winter, so I thought I would share about a common respiratory condition that often affects children during the cooler months: croup.
Generally when I practice homeopathy I take an individualised case and prescribe accordingly. However, after learning about this three-remedy croup method early in my training, I have found it to be hugely beneficial in practice.
Croup can be seen to move through three specific stages of coughs:
First stage is the classic seal bark croup cough, this can be brought on by getting caught in cold or wet and generally comes on very suddenly. The cough can also start or significantly worsen around midnight. For this stage of croup Aconite can be used.
The second stage croup cough is considered a wet cough, you can hear that there is mucous in the trachea (not deep in the lungs) but that it can be cleared without much trouble by coughing. Hep Sulph is indicated now.
Third stage croup is a dry tickly cough as the mucous has been mostly cleared, Spongia when used at this point will finish the croup.
Steam can also help to relive the symptoms of croup so using a diffuser in the bedroom at night or going into the bathroom with a hot shower running can help settle the cough.
In practice I’ve also noticed that there are some children who have a tendency to get recurrent croup over the winter months. I suggest to their parents to be particularly mindful of when the kids get caught suddenly in cold or wet. Using Aconite after this occurs to prevent symptoms from developing is a good idea. One dose before bed often works well.
It’s always a good idea to chat to your homeopath about how to manage your acute symptoms and as with any condition, if your child has difficulty breathing, if symptoms worsen, or if it is an emergency, please take them to the Emergency Department.
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