An Angry Kid

Joseph Kellerstein, DC, ND

Little Franklin is only 7 years old, but speaks with such confidence you would think he was 30. He sits opposite me, looking me straight in the eye and talking to me like an expert, but is very cute at the same time.

The Case

Franklin has had a rough go of it recently. Mom brings him in complaining of outbursts of anger, general behavioral issues, and migraines. However, as I look at him sitting calmly in his chair with no restlessness and no hostility, it’s not easy to imagine!

Mom describes him as socially awkward, in general. He does not say much until he warms up.

About 1 year ago Dad had to leave for another province for work reasons. Things have not been the same since.

“Franklin became so, so angry! … He would scream at me … He was actually mean to me.”

“I’m not part of this family,” he would say.

He was very mean to his friends. He would spit. He would hit; he poked a girl in the eye, and there was no remorse. “He will purposely not do what he is told. In fact, he often says black when I say white. He is directly contradictory. Everything is ‘not fair.’”

Franklin was getting frequent headaches, with pain in the eyes and vomiting. The headaches and mood were both worse in the afternoon around 5 pm… reliably. On questioning, I am told that he is pale in the face with the headaches.

Franklin is definitely a carnivore; he could have meat every day.

As I am finishing up and differentiating remedies, his mom quietly offers up the fact that he is also lying a lot.

Repertorization & Remedy

See Figure 1 for the chart of general rubrics.

I select as the genius of my case the following rubrics:

• MIND; SHRIEKING, screaming, shouting; children, in (76)
• MIND; MALICIOUS, spiteful, vindictive (112)
• MIND; STRIKING (89)
• MIND; DEFIANT (32)

The set of remedies common to these mind rubrics can be seen in Figure 2.

Nux vomica certainly looks good. The pale face with the headache does not seem to match, but the intensity of the emotional state does, and this where the center of gravity lies.

Let’s check the Materia Medica. Allen lists the following for Nux vomica:

Quarrelsome, even to violence.

He obstinately resists what is desired by others.

He quarrels, reproaches, scolds, insults from jealousy, mingled with unchaste expressions; soon afterwards howls and weeps aloud.

 

I like it. It does generally fit the headache. Although it does not fit the pale face with the headache, it is certainly known, in general, for pallor of the face.

I decided on Nux vomica 30C, 1 pellet once daily.

Follow-up

At a follow-up 1 month later, Mom reports that Franklin’s behavior improved almost immediately. In fact, he was overly docile for the first 5 days, which certainly gave Mom pause for concern. After this period of aggravation, he became his sweet, normal self. No blow ups, no problems.

Thanks, Sam.

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Joseph Kellerstein, DC, ND, graduated as a chiropractor in 1980 and as an ND in 1984. He graduated with a specialty in homeopathy from the Canadian Academy for Homeopathy, and subsequently lectured there for 2 years. He also lectured in homeopathy for several years at CCNM; for 8 years at the Toronto School of Homeopathic Medicine; and for 2 years at the British Institute for Homeopathy. Dr Kellerstein’s mission is the exploration of natural medicine in a holistic context, especially homeopathy and facilitating the experience of healing in patients.