The boy who coughed for a year and homeopathic medicine

​Master J* began coughing in April 2019 when he first started school, which he loved. It was a dry night time cough which got really bad at bedtime, continued throughout the night while he slept, and woke him up at 5am. Master J often coughed until he vomited.

I met with Master J, who had a history of croup, an ear infection and molluscum contagiosum, in December 2019. 
   
Mum noticed his cough was worse during the full moon time when Master J was also extra sweaty during sleep – often wetting his pillow. He loved eggs and meat, ate a lot, and often had runny stools. Master J also had a strong fear of ghosts and monsters and always wanted a light on.  

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Homeopathic medicine recognizes an individual's emotional and physical symptoms and is prescribed in accordance with these – not on the indication that X medicine is known to assist with X condition so therefore might help Mr Y’s problem – which is standard practice in other systems of medicine. The system of homeopathy translates symptoms into meaningful data enabling an 'wholistic' prescription. 
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Master J's emotional and physical symptoms and possible homeopathic medicines, December 2019.

CALCAREA CARBONICA (calcium carbonate) is a homeopathic medicine prepared from the middle layer of oyster shells. Commonly referred to as Calc carb, this medicine might possibly be helpful for kids who have lots of coughs and respiratory issues, who tend to sweat a lot especially on their head during sleep and are affected by or can get worse during a full moon. These kids love to eat eggs, have great appetites and many fears particularly of ghosts and monsters. Most Calc carb kids have had ear infections and you can usually see a few warts.   
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Master J was given Calc carb in December 2019 - within seven days his cough had reduced to an occasional daytime cough without vomiting.    

The oyster shell

In March 2020 his parents became convinced Master J had a ‘behavioural cough’ as he only coughed during the day, there had been no vomiting with the cough since December but he had coughed for almost one year. Master J was prescribed a different homeopathic medicine often given to kids who have a family history of respiratory issues in the parents and grandparents, symptoms which change, a history of dry (or wet) coughs from 5am onwards, runny stools, night sweats and night coughs which don’t wake them from sleep.   
 
By April 2019 Master J's cough had reduced, no longer driving his mother crazy.
May, no cough.
​June, no cough despite travelling South to the cold which greatly aggravated the cough this same time last year.

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​Homeopaths acknowledge that the body of evidence for homeopathic medicine is small but growing and much more research needs to happen but is there evidence for homeopathic medicine in the treatment of coughs?

Homeopathy in the Age of Antimicrobial Resistance: Is It a Viable Treatment for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections? (Fixsen, 2018. PMID: 29767829)
'Multiple peer-reviewed studies were found in which homeopathy had been used to treat URTIs and associated symptoms (cough, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, otitis media, acute sinusitis, etc.) Results for homeopathy treatment were positive overall, with faster resolution, reduced use of antibiotics and possible prophylactic and longer-term benefits. In the light of antimicrobial resistance, homeopathy offers alternative strategies for minor infections and possible prevention of recurring URTIs.'

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Homeopathic Syrup in the Treatment of Cold Symptoms in Young Children (Jacobs and Taylor, 2016. PMID: 27912951)
​'The severity of cold symptoms compared to baseline values found that improvements in sneezing, cough and the composite cold score were significantly greater at both the first and second assessments among those receiving the cold syrup compared to placebo recipients. The homeopathic syrup appeared to be effective in reducing the severity of cold symptoms in the first day after beginning treatment.'

Homeopathic Medicine for Acute Cough in Upper Respiratory Tract Infections and Acute Bronchitis: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial (Zanasi et al., 2014. PMID: 23714686)
'At day four and seven days of treatment cough severity was significantly lower in the homeopathic group than in the placebo group. Sputum viscosity was significantly lower in the homeopathic group. We concluded that the homeopathic syrup employed in the study was able to effectively reduce cough severity and sputum viscosity, thereby representing a valid remedy for the management of acute cough induced by URTIs.'
 

*Master J’s parents have checked and confirmed this content, and consented to publishing. 

2022 UPDATE - Master J's cough has not returned.