“It’s all too much”: 3 cases of Vernix caseosa

By Alex Leupen and Deborah Collins

The remedy Vernix caseosa is a discovery of the Dutch physician Tinus Smits, who introduced a number of new remedies into homeopathy. Vernix caseosa, or vernix, is the white, somewhat greasy coating on the skin of newborns that accumulates especially in the skin folds. Its absence at birth indicates that the child was overdue.

Composition

Vernix forms from the 20th week of pregnancy. It consists of 80% water, 10% fatty acids and 10% proteins. The oily components are produced by the sebaceous glands, which are particularly active in infants. Most of the proteins play an important role in natural immune defence, for example alpha-defensin (HNP, 'human neutrophil peptides').

Function

It is now believed that vernix is specific to humans. It serves as a protective mantle for the delicate foetus and is thought to prevent it being attacked by amniotic fluid and meconium. In addition, the strongly antibacterial proteins in vernix suggest that it also protects against infections after birth.

The homeopathic remedy

Tinus Smits describes the characteristics of the remedy picture of Vernix as follows:

• The remedy is very similar to Phosphorus and Lac maternum.

• Very vulnerable people who cannot sufficiently separate themselves from their environment. They are highly sensitive and feel “naked” — the protective mantle — the skin — is inadequately developed.

• These people experience the outside world as a threat. They are so permeable that every impression, every stimulus goes straight in. As a result the external world is perceived too intensely. They react hypersensitively to everything.

• They have feelings of guilt and believe they do not do enough for others. They cannot say “no”.

• They are highly sensitive to noises and smells.

• They have a desire to be held or wrapped up.

• They feel fragile.

• People who need this remedy must learn to get in touch with their own feelings and needs.

• These people are out of balance, unfocused. They do not rest within themselves, but direct their focus too much on the outside world. The suffering of others and conflicts in the world in general weigh heavily on them, as they are unable to set boundaries.

Case example 1: “Everything penetrates me” by Deborah Collins

The patient is a 20-year-old Maori woman, mother of two children, who comes to the consultation with her own mother. When she relates her symptoms she breaks into tears: “Everything is just too much for me. I even have to take antidepressants because I can’t cope any more. I can’t manage my children, nor can I keep on top of the household — even small things overwhelm me. My mother often has to help me. But even that annoys me — everything just gets on my nerves. And that’s not all — every feeling, even other people’s feelings, penetrates me unhindered. When I walk down a street or go shopping, I feel that everything I see, hear, smell or feel — including other people’s feelings — goes straight into me. It feels as if I have no skin. Nothing stays outside, I cannot protect myself.”

She is an expressive woman, easily switching between laughter and tears and telling her story with strong gestures: she constantly seems to want to protect herself with her hands. Although she is the mother of two children, there is something childlike about her.

“I can’t look after my children. When they cry I can literally feel their pain and I cannot bear it. I would prefer to lie on the bed and roll myself up in a blanket until it’s over. I cannot motivate myself to do anything; I have to force myself to get up in the morning and organise my day. It’s not good for my marriage either, we have serious problems.”

“Whenever my mother visits her sick friend and then comes to me, I can feel how my mother was while she was there and how much her friend is suffering from her illness. I then become overwhelmed by feelings. It always ends with me breaking into tears or screaming. I have started drinking too much now. I try to drown my problems in alcohol and I am really afraid that this could become a problem. But I can’t cope any more, I just don’t want to live with all these feelings.”

At this point the patient’s mother spoke for the first time: “When I was pregnant with her I knew there would be twins and that one would die. When my daughter was born she let out a heart‑rending cry after the birth. I had never heard a newborn cry like that. But I knew she was mourning her dead sister. She actually arrived too early, but had no vernix at all — she was simply red and shrivelled and so irritable — inconsolable and crying the whole time.”

The mother had just given me the clue to the right remedy for her daughter: Vernix caseosa, the greasy protective film that surrounds the baby in the womb. When I told the woman which remedy I would give her, she was very pleased and said: “Yes, that is exactly what I need — a buffer that protects me.”

Prescription: A single dose of Vernix caseosa C200 worked wonders. The patient returned a month later beaming. “I have my life under control again. I get out of bed in the morning and I can manage the household. I now have this buffer that helps me find my inner centre and prevents me immediately taking in everything that happens outside. I also don’t drink alcohol any more, I simply don’t need it. I have stopped the antidepressants too — they didn’t really help me, they only made everything worse.”

A single dose of the remedy cured this patient. In some cases, however, several doses are necessary to effect a cure. After that the patient came to my practice from time to time with her children, but no longer needed appointments for herself. A repeat of the remedy was not necessary.

Some time later she resumed treatment for herself. This time the picture was different. The patient no longer spoke of “everything penetrating her” and seemed mature and grown-up. The follow-up remedy was Calcium muriaticum. It was given because the patient felt very insecure about herself and her abilities as a mother. She worried a great deal about what others thought of her. “I have always worried about what others think of me. Whether they believe I can really manage. But now it’s only this one point that bothers me. I no longer get overwhelmed by everything. I believe that I am finally growing up.” Her mother could only confirm what her daughter reported. She told me that she hardly had to help her daughter in the household any more as she used to do regularly.

Here too Vernix healed an essential aspect and paved the way for the follow-up remedy, which in this case was a rather “ordinary” remedy. Calcium muriaticum addresses the relationship level, where things are no longer about problems that arose in the womb.

Case example 2: “Too fragile” by Alex Leupen

David’s mother brings her son to the consultation because he is not developing well. In front of me stands a delicately built four‑year‑old boy who looks at me with wide eyes. The word ‘fragile’ comes to mind. The boy has been attending pre‑school for four weeks and is under great stress. He is very shy and does not even dare to shake his teacher’s hand. Sometimes he walks with his shoulders slumped under the pressure. As soon as he enters his classroom he stands in a corner and does not dare to play with children he does not know. He never volunteers to speak. In kindergarten he had been very popular and often played the clown. Here, in a new environment, he has withdrawn into himself.

I ask the mother about her pregnancy. She had many complaints, mainly morning sickness and general pelvic problems. David was 11 days overdue when the membranes ruptured spontaneously. Because meconium was present in the amniotic fluid, the mother was immediately admitted to hospital. She had an anaesthetic and when she was dilated to 8 cm the labour stopped. The mother said she “pushed him out by her own strength”. Afterwards the placenta had to be removed under anaesthetic and the mother also suffered a severe perineal tear.

This case immediately makes me think of Opium, yet that did not feel quite right. David feels insecure at school, is very shy and withdraws into himself. The tension makes him very stiff. I had the impression that this little boy could use a buffer zone around him as protection against this sensory overload.

Prescription: Vernix C30, 2 globules per week.

Follow-up: Last week I saw him again, four weeks after the initial consultation. His mother reports that he is now a completely different child. At school he feels comfortable, can give his teacher his hand and plays with the other children. The boy looks relaxed and one can genuinely say that everything at school is now running smoothly.

Case example 3: “Everything gets on my nerves” by Alex Leupen

The 37‑year‑old Mrs R. came in October 2009 because of her nervousness. She has been under my care for some time for psychological complaints and had responded well to Vanadium. She is the mother of a small child and runs a company with her husband. She immediately begins to cry and says: “I am at my wits’ end; everything gets on my nerves.” Her daughter keeps getting middle ear infections and she has been getting little sleep lately. She would like another child, but so far a second pregnancy has not worked out. The patient often feels depressed. Her daughter demands a lot of attention from her and she has hardly any time left for the business. Her own mother, who is currently suffering from a bipolar disorder, had a severe depression after the birth of her daughter and could not care for her. In her first months of life she was looked after by her aunt, who plays a large role in her life. The aunt has been much more of a mother to her than her own ever was.

Prescription: Vernix C30, 2 globules per week: Vernix is intended here to act as a “balm for the soul”. The patient gives the impression of needing a protective mantle. Motherhood is a great challenge for her, especially because she could not be cared for by her own mother at the start of life.

Follow-up: Six weeks later she returned and reported that she felt stronger and her feelings had stabilised. She wanted the remedy prescribed again. In March 2012 she came for a mild sinusitis that caused pain above the right eye, similar to toothache. Emotionally she was still doing well. I prescribed Lac maternum 200K, to be taken on two consecutive days. After the second dose the symptoms disappeared permanently. Recently the patient asked me again for support, this time to stop smoking. On the whole she feels stable and balanced — physically and mentally.

Vernix caseosa I often give as an intercurrent remedy when the child or adult is in a state of heightened sensitivity: the patient is highly permeable — everything penetrates and gets on the nerves. It is the situation of a small defenceless child in the nursery. Vernix has proven itself in these cases as a “balm for the soul” — it lays a protective mantle over the needy person. One can also think of a child who has just started school and has to get through the first weeks. Or of a woman who has just given birth to a baby that will not settle and cries all the time.

Photos:

Flickr: Fragile; Milknosugar; Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic
Flickr; Something's wrong; Adrien Leguay; Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic

Category: Cases

Keywords: defenceless, naked, vulnerable, hypersensitive, highly sensitive, over-stimulated

Remedy: Vernix caseosa