A Case of Chronic Cough
Recently, a 6-year-old girl visited my practice with her parents. She had been struggling with a chronic cough for the past two years. Her mother shared that they had tried everything—from inhalers to naturopathic treatments and homeopathy—yet her condition hadn’t improved. Feeling desperate, they came to me on the recommendation of a family friend.
Chronic cough in children can stem from various causes. Here are some of the most common ones:
Asthma: One of the leading causes, especially if there is a history of wheezing, difficulty breathing, or if the cough worsens at night, after exercise, or with cold air.
Allergic Rhinitis and Sinusitis: Allergies or sinus infections can cause postnasal drip, leading to a persistent cough. Symptoms often include a runny nose, nasal congestion, and itchy eyes.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): Acid reflux can irritate the throat and airway, especially at night, causing a chronic cough. Children may experience other symptoms like heartburn, stomach pain, or regurgitation.
Protracted Bacterial Bronchitis (PBB): This is a prolonged bacterial infection that can cause a wet cough, typically treated effectively with antibiotics.
Chronic Infections: Some infections, like pertussis (whooping cough), mycoplasma, or tuberculosis, can lead to a long-lasting cough.
Habit Cough: Often triggered by a minor illness or irritation, this type of cough can become habitual, especially in children, and usually stops when the child is distracted or asleep.
Environmental Irritants: Exposure to cigarette smoke, pollution, or strong chemicals can irritate a child’s airways and cause a chronic cough.
Cystic Fibrosis (CF): Though rare, cystic fibrosis should be considered in cases where a child has a chronic wet cough, recurring lung infections, or growth issues.
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD): Another rare genetic condition that can cause chronic cough due to impaired movement of cilia in the airways, leading to difficulty clearing mucus.
I approached this case with classical homeopathy. The child complained of chest and throat pain when coughing. Her mother mentioned that during her worst coughing episodes, she would cough so intensely that she would eventually vomit clear mucus, which provided relief for a few hours before the cough returned. The cough was triggered by talking, singing, laughing, and running. There were no other cold or flu symptoms, and her appetite was normal except for a strong craving for ice cream.
Knowing that other homeopaths had likely tried the common remedies, I decided to look for something more suited to a chronic presentation. My analysis suggested Stannum metallicum as the primary remedy, with Kali carbonicum as a second option, especially if gastric reflux was a possible cause. Potassium salts are associated with both weakness and coldness, though the child’s thermals were not clearly pronounced.
As I was finishing my assessment, the mother added that her daughter often weeps in her sleep—a symptom also covered by Stannum. Based on this, I prescribed Stannum 30, to be taken once every six hours until she felt 70% better, at which point we would reduce or stop the dosage.
The next day, the father called to tell me that after just two doses, his daughter had slept through the day, and within 24 hours, her cough had improved by 90%. I advised them to stop the remedy and to resume it only if a relapse occurred. To date, there have been no relapses.
