Advice on constitutional type please

Please find below details of my 10yo daughter who is suffering from bad eczema in the last 8 months. I hope someone could give me the answer about what her constitutional type is. At some stages, I thought it could be Carcinosin, Pulsatilla or Graphites. But nothing helped so far.

Sex: Female
Age: 10
Nature of work: student (been off school for 7 months)

Please answer the following questions in a descriptive manner after careful analysis and recollection of previous experiences and happenings.

1. Describe your main suffering?

At the moment: Full body, head to toe dry eczema

History:
Started since # 3 months old, first appeared on cheeks, wrists, spread to scalp, neck, arms’ crooks and behind knees in primary school years. Appeared as clusters of red rashes, dry and itchy, cracked and bleeding when scratched a lot. Mainly used topical steroids to suppress the symptoms (2-3 times/year)

Itchy scalp interfered with sleep every single night

Turned to severe full body e 8 months ago after several months taking swimming lessons in winter. It happened when skin got dry gradually, more rashes appeared, used topical & oral steroids to suppress, spread to other areas when stopped.

Eczema features in the last 8 months: Dry itchy skin at first, then infected more easily and often in the last few months - since December 06 - due to long time use of topical steroids (weeping eczema, started in the scalp / face area, spread to other areas).

Off steroids for some periods: 1 month in Sept 06, for a few days in between treatment courses, and in the last 10 days. When not on steroids, more rashes, increased redness and itchiness but eczema stayed dry and not weeping.

Now: dry itchy skin, red all over body, scratches here and there, bleeding cracks in neck, arms and legs crooks and behind heels.


2. What other physical sufferings do you have in your body?

Asthma, since infant years, mainly constant coughs at night / early morning or after exercise, shortness of breath after vigorous exercise, used Ventolin 2-3 times in her infant years, on preventive treatment for a while (Intal forte, Fluxotide). Under control and basically, asthma free in the last few years. Symptoms came back in the last few months as shortness of breath after exercise, used Ventolin twice. Lung capacity / performance (peak flow measurement) not yet affected.

Increased intra-ocular pressure – 20-21mmHg for both eyes, discovered in July 06, regularly checked up by an ophthalmologist. Was suspected to be a side effect of steroids use, but patient is also in high risk group with family history of glaucoma and has myopia herself.

Ear infection (Pseudomonas Aeruginosa) for both ears in March 07 together with skin infection (Staph Aureus) due to eczema. Treated by antibiotic and Hep Sulphur for over 2 weeks.

Currently: poor appetite, excessive gas in bowel (maybe due to Chinese herbal treatment), general tiredness due to lack of sleep, restless / aching muscles due to scratching all the time.

3. What mental sufferings / feelings do you have associated with your physical sufferings?
Feel bored, emptiness, aimless in life.
Used to be hard working in studying, now lost interest (off school for 7 months)
Frustrated, stressed and sad due to long time suffering.
Concerned about the look, feels jealous of the others
Hasn’t given up hope yet, constantly says “when I’m recovered, I’d…”, but sometimes says “maybe I have to accept this as my life…”

4. What exactly do you feel when you are at your worst? Describe the sensation in your own words.

“I am thirsty-bored”, this is what she usually says, thirsty-bored is the word she invented to describe her feeling. She said it’s a strange feeling, she feels thirsty and bored at the same time.

5. When did it all start? Can you connect it to any past event or disease?

As per question No 1
Not sure of the connection between immunisation and her eczema.
Her current condition was triggered by dry skin due to too much swimming in winter last year.
Has family history of allergy (Father: Hay fever, Mother: eczema, very mild)

6. Which time of the day you are worst?

In the evening and at nights. Skin gets redder and itchier when the day goes by, within half an hour after bath, especially right after put in bed, skin irritated and itchy all over.

7. What are the things which aggravate your suffering and which are those which ameliorate the same? Example- time, temperature, pressure, rubbing, washing, eating, tight clothing etc.

Gets worse: hot and humid or too dry (winter), stressed, bathing, tight, woollen or polyester clothing, suspected beef and acidic foods (tomato sauce, cooked tomatoes, peach, plum…), shortly after bath and putting on Vaseline.

Doesn’t like sticky feeling of Vaseline on body / oil on scalp but when skin is dry, Vaseline helps the prickly feeling / itchiness. Doesn’t like bathing or water but mainly because it stings the scratches. Doesn’t like being messy and dirty, avoid looking in the mirror when doing her morning face wash.

Get better: in cool and average / stable humidity climate, loose and pure and smooth cotton / silk clothing. Skin less red and itchy in the morning, but doesn’t like the feeling when first wake up (when she’s usually covered in skin / dry Vaseline flakes and bloody mess after a sleepless night). Like the light touch feeling on skin (crawling ants feeling) the most, otherwise, light rubbing or massaging is good too. Squeezing or vigorous rubbing can ease her crazy itchiness but leaves burning sensation on skin afterwards.

8. Do your think your sufferings have relation to any external stimuli (like, change of place) or any internal biological changes in the body, like, menses (in females)?

Allergy testing: Dust mite 4+ (maximum score), grass mix 1+, eucalyptus 1+
No food allergy, but suspected to be intolerant of beef and acidic foods.
Stress is definitely a trigger. Appeared to be an obedient, easy-going child but very sensitive at the same time, so maybe suffering from built-up unhappiness, suppressed emotions / worries on family / personal issues (feel guilty / responsible for parents conflict - over treatment methods or other issues? Feels insecure about herself?...)
Hot, humid and dry weather affects her too
10 years old, no signs of puberty yet.

9. When do you feel better, during hot weather or cold weather, humid or dry weather?

As per question no 7 - 8

10. Describe your general mental set up? Are you Moody, Arrogant, Mild, Agreeable Changeable, Nervous, Suspicious, Easily offended, Quiet, Arguing, Irritating, Lazy etc.

Quiet
Agreeable
Lazy

- How do you feel before or during a thunderstorm?
Scared but not terribly scared. Does ok if knowing beforehand so she can prepare for the incident (staying with someone – siblings should be enough, covering ears..)

- Do you like being consoled during your tough times?
Yes, a lot. Needs reassurance and sympathy

- Are you sensitive to external stimuli like smell, noise, light etc?
Yes, can easily recognise a very subtle seafood flavour (prawn, crab) in a meal
Not clear with noise and light.

- Do you have any typical habit or gesture like nail biting, causeless
Weeping, talking to one self etc?
Picking skin flakes

- How do you feel about your friends, family, your children and especially your husband / wife?
Happy and feel secured with mother, but feels not understood sometimes and it could be frustrating sometimes
Loves father, knows that he loves her and is willing to do everything for her, but a bit scared of him when he’s in anger
Loves older sister (12 years old), enjoys her company
Younger brother (8 yo) is fun to be with but can be very annoying and frustrating sometimes. Had 2 best friends, enjoy their friendship / company. Feel loosing friends and thinks they have forgotten her.

11. What are your fears and do you dream of any situation repeatedly?

Fears of being alone in the world without parents, buried alive or in a confined space (blanket over head or in closed wardrobe)

Dreams related to her craving for foods such as eating pasta, ice creams…

12. What do you crave for in food items and what are your aversions?

Crave for: sweet / sugary, dairy products like ice-cream, chocolate, cakes, cheese (in jaffles, toast sandwiches), all kinds of meat except for fish; pasta, chicken sweet corn soup…

Hates: fish, seafood

13. How is your thirst: Less, Normal or Excessive?

Normal or a bit more

14. How is your hunger: Less, Normal or Excessive?
Lost appetite due to restrictive diet (limited on beef, chicken, dairy products, sugary, spicy foods, acidic foods, nuts)

15. Is there any kind of food which your body can’t stand?
Crustacean seafood, especially prawn and crab.

16. Is your sweat normal or less or more? Where does it sweat more: Head, Trunk or Limbs?
Less
Head, around neck

17. How is your bowel movement and stool type?
Normal, every day or every second day, soft stool (on Chinese herbal treatment and it’s supposed to increase bowel motion)

18. How well do you sleep? Do you have a particular posture of sleeping?

Very bad, broken sleep every night due to itchiness, catches up with sleep in the morning. Sleeps through until midday. Sleeps better on sides. Can’t sleep on back for long because of the prickly / itchy feeling

Doesn’t like pillow because it touches her earlobes where she used to have weeping eczema or bleeding cracks there and it hurt.

19. Do you think you are able to satisfy your sexual desires in general?
No applicable

20. Do you have any strange, peculiar or unusual symptom or feelings? How are you different from others?

Except from “thirsty bored” feeling, no strange symptoms or feelings

21. What medications have been taken earlier by you to treat the diseases and do you have any particular symptom surfacing after the medication?

Western medicine: topical and oral steroids, antihistamine, antibiotic, Vitamines (stoped steroids for the moment but on antibiotic and antihistamine for sleeping)

Naturopathy: EFA supplements, zinc, Probiotics (still taking them except for zinc)

Homeopathy: Carcinosin LM1, Tuberculinum LM1, Sulphur 6C, Nat Mur 6C, Staph Nosodes prescribed by the first homeopath back in Dec 06 – Jan 07. Result: aggravations with skin infection;
Since Feb - Mar: Nux Vomica 6C 1 pill, Hep Sulphur, Phosphorus, Sepia all were wet dose of 6C concentration (1 pill dissolved in 25 ml bottle), diluted in1- 2 cups of water with 2 percussion. Currently on Sepia. So far, no improvement shown. Was prescribed with Pulsatilla at one stage, not yet used due to infection, changed to Hep Sulphur instead.

Chinese herbal treatment: current treatment together with homeopathy. Third week so far, more rashes, no improvement yet.

22. What major diseases are running in your family?

Allergy: Hay fever / father-side, eczema, asthma / mother-side

Others: family history of glaucoma, diabetes on father side; myopia, tuberculosis, suspected malignant tumour (lymphoma) and hypertension on mother side.

23. Describe, how do you look like? Describe your overall appearance.
(For Females)

Strong built
Fine thin hair
Chubby round face
Brown eyes

24. If your menstrual cycles are not normal, please describe the irregularities, like pains, moods, flow type, clots etc.
Not applicable

25. What major diseases have you had in your life and when. Please write them in a chronological manner.
As per question No 1