Grace Over Kenya;
A Case Of Childhood Epilepsy

July 06, 2000
Female, 10 years old
Chief Complaint: Epilepsy

Observation: Patient is very shy talking about the problem and mostly looks downward and doesn't say anything unless prompted. She also covers her face with her hands at times throughout the interview. During the interview, it becomes clear that she uses the word “sick” when talking about convulsions. She also uses the word sick when referring to a day when she is prone to multiple convulsions. (Bear in mind the case is translated, so it is a bit unclear at times).

Subjective: I cannot be sick unless I touch something. I only get sick after touching something strongly. If sick, when doing something, I touch a place and the sickness returns. If I am walking and I touch something, I become sick. After I move my hand from that place, I am okay, then I continue to walk, when I touch something again, I become sick. When taking my hands away from that place, I become well again. Place? anywhere. Anytime I touch anything. The sickness comes every day I touch anything. At this point, I was confused and asked her if she touched something right now, would she have convulsions. She then clarified, that only when she had this strange sensation on her knees and touched something, would she get convulsions: I feel like things are holding me on my knees. It is only when I touch something during that time , I start the convulsions. I feel like I am being tied with chains. What exactly does it feel like when you get sick? I don't feel anything, just the convulsions. Could you say more about this idea of being tied with chains? Just on the knee joints. Do you have fear or pain when it happens? No, it is only after I feel tied with chains, and then I touch something that I get sick. It comes at any time, even in the morning, it is unpredictable.

Observation: Patient hides behind hands and looks away sharply.
I've had this sickness since I was young. How long are the convulsions? Two minutes. Any changes in seeing or hearing during trembling? when I get sick and take drugs I can't hear, but if I don't take the drugs, then I can hear and understand well. Foods your are averse to? I don't like fish, especially the small small fish.

Observation: Patient is playing with clothes most of the interview, shyly.
Your thirst? small thirst, I like taking cold drinks.

Tell me something about animals. I like zebras and monkeys. I don't like giraffes, they have a long neck. I don't like flies, I don't like small birds that fly together. I like the big birds.

The thing I hate most is people with bad manners, I hate bad behaviors of the elders, the people who close small children in the house and beat them and those who throw away their young children.

Temperature preferences? I like the room that is cold, but I don't like to be covered.

I hate tasting things, I think that tasting things could be poisonous. If I go to someone's home, and there is food, I remember what my father said about tasting food. I just tell the person, thank you, then refuses the food, I feels that I could be poisoned by their food.

Mothers input:
When it started when she was about 1 year old. I first took her to the hospital when she was about 9 years. She refused to take the medicine, and the times she did, it helped only a little. Frequency of convulsions? 3 to 4 times a day. She starts holding something and then the convulsions begin. She also forgets things. You can tell her anything, then when you ask her she forgets. In school she doesn't understand anything. You can't tell l her anything, if she doesn't like it she refuses. She just says no, I'm not going to do that. She likes washing the other children, and also herself. She likes learning, although she doesn't understand anything. She doesn't know how to read. She couldn't learn to even write her own name. She can do math, but can not read.

Assessment: This patient should do well on the Rx Syphilinum. The odd sensation of being tied @ the knees, the (mild) obsession with cleaning, the backwardness, shyness, and the convulsions are all well known for the Rx

Plan:

Syphilinum 200c Single dose

July 11, 2000, (5 days later)
CC: Epilepsy

How are you? I feel better. After the medicine, now I'm haven't gotten sick. Any other changes? No, only the sickness is reduced. The sensation of knees being bound together? I haven't been having that. How about being poisoned? Before I used to go to the neighbor's and thought the food was poisoned, but that feels different, better. I am still concerned about being poisoned though. Before the medicine, how many times would you wash yourself? I would wash myself three times a day, now only once a day.

Observation: Patient is making much more frequent eye contact, even smiling unabashedly a few times.

Any changes with your relationship to people? After the medicine, I don't fear people so much. I used to fear them more before.

Note: After I left the clinic, I kept in contact with Didi Rucira. She observed that the patient continued to do well. The patient was followed for many months afterwards. It was noted that her convulsions, fear of being poisoned, and overall shyness all improved markedly following the Syphilinum 200c.