Spring has sprung!

I don't know about you but I don't think I'll ever get bored of seeing spring flowers peeking through the compost. It's almost the first of sign of better days to come. Longer days, warmer weather & days out. How exciting!

This time of year always reminds me of my children getting chicken pox. Spring tends to bring a spike in chicken pox cases although it's not really understood why. If you remember having it or have had children who have gone through it, you'll know that although it's a mild disease, it can be really irritating.

My children had it at the same time and we have various photo's of them smiling covered in bright, red spots. However, my son's experience was really quite bad & the worst the doctor had ever seen :( He was only 5 months old so our options around medication were limited.

Homeopathy has several remedies that can help with the symptoms.

Rhus-Tox is one of the most frequently prescribed remedies. If the vesicles are large & surrounded by inflamed, red tissue, accompanied by an itching or a burning sensation, then this might be the right remedy for you. The patient may also have fatigue, a fever & they may be restless. The symptoms will generally be worse at night.

Apis on the other hand may also have the burning pain, or a stinging pain. The patient may also be restless & fidgety like Rhus-Tox. However, patients requiring Apis will not thank you for a warm room or warm applications, whereas Rhus-Tox will prefer warmth. Those needing Apis will need a cool room, they will also be rather thirsty. The skin will look different also with a pink, puffed up, glossy looking surface & be very itchy.

The patient needing Pulsatilla will almost definitely need a lot of attention & sympathy. This is the child that you cannot put down & they could be very weepy. The vesicles may give a more crawling or burning sensation and there could even be a thick yellowy/green discharge from the eyes or nose.

Sulphur is another amazing skin remedy and covers many, many skin conditions. The patient is likely to have burning & itchy vesicles that may bleed if scratched. Everything is worse around 11am and baths are are definite no no.

There are many other remedies that can support you or your child through chicken pox & it's important to talk to a practitioner before administering remedies.

Contact me for advice on how to treat chicken pox & other childhood illness.

Happy healing, Claire x