We’ll also briefly cover Exam & Study Stress and Travel in this post
Leaving home and transitioning to higher education or perhaps a first job in another state or town, can be challenging and we all want to support our kids, not matter how big they are. Many kids have grown up with homeopathy and are used to just picking out what they need if they have a sore ankle or a sore head.
One of the big realisations is not just the responsibility for what to eat, but what to do if you get sick and mum’s not there to nurture you. Some parents like to pack up a little kit and many kids are actually pretty good at taking what they need, when they need it.
The emotional ups and downs of life, tied to hormones, but also to friendships and first love can also weigh heavy and some homeopathic support can be really helpful for this aspect of going out into the world too.
Then of course there are exams and study anxiety, for which the remedies are different and I’ve written a little bit below about this, including remedies for low energy and fatigue.
There are quite a few posts that tap into all of these big changes and I’ve linked a few below for you:
What to do at the first sign of illness
Homeopathy for Gastro which includes other digestive issues
Homeopathy for Musculoskeletal covers growing pains and similar
How to put a kit together
If you want to make up a little kit for your teen, think about the remedies you use most often with them. It might be Pulsatilla for colds, upset tummies, ear aches and period pain, or it might be Nux Vomica for too much coffee, sleepless nights, constipation and irritability.
There may be remedies your homeopath has given during a consult for asthma or lingering coughs, such as Tuberculinum (available from your practitioner only), or maybe they are a Nat Mur personality. These are going to be useful remedies and the first you should choose to have in their kit.
I would always include remedies like Aconite, Arnica, Hepar Sulph, Silica, unless you are mainly a combination remedy prescriber. Honestly, getting to understand more about some of the basic single remedies will give you a greater understanding of homeopathy.
Then of course you can add things like Gastro, Cold & Flu, Immune Boost, PMS, Get Prepped, Bad Head or similar. All of which are available in the store.
A little kit may be a better option and we offer a lot of choices here.
If you have a teen who is heading off on a sports course, maybe overseas to take up a sporting scholarship or who is going to be working at a very physical level, don’t forget the Arnica (mentioned above), and RRA, as well as our range of homeopathic creams, which kids love.
On the topic of sports and athletes, we do have a kit which covers most things likely to be experienced when on the field, pitch or pool and these remedies are going to be some of the remedies commonly used for other ailments like upset tummies, colds and headaches, for example. Athletes & Sports Kit
I’d be aiming for a 20 remedy kit, even if it just gets shoved in a sock drawer for most of the year. There may come a day when it’s going to be useful and that call will always come in the middle of the night or on the weekend.
Tissue Salts
Don’t forget the tissue salts. They are often available in pharmacies and health food shops, so even if the standard homeopathics are not immediately available you can often get them to pick up some tissue salts for an acute situation.
You can check out the Tissue Salts Post for more information on these super useful little remedies.
Other Essentials for a Kit
Other essentials would be a zip around remedy pouch – you can buy these on the website if you’re not buying a kit. You can also buy empty bottles and labels from the store to decant some of your precious remedies.
A little home prescriber book can be useful even if you’re mainly sending them with combination remedies. Pick from the book (or let them pick) and then scan through the combos to see if any of them include the single remedy they might need. Desperate times call for desperate measures in some cases!
Exam Stress
Exam stress is one of those things that can make or break an outcome and no amount of practice can make it any better if you have a tendency to anxiety or lack of self-confidence! Even quite young children are experiencing high anxiety, with Naplans becoming a benchmark for success in the classroom.
There are some useful remedies, combinations and essences to support a child, teen or adult at this time and take the edge off an all-pervading nervousness about a forthcoming situation such as a test, exam or even speaking event.
Because homeopathy treats the whole person and not just the symptoms, you do need to understand how the individual is feeling to some extent. Are they constantly staying awake thinking and worrying? Do they feel paralysed with fear? Are they super irritable or are they craving huge amounts of sugar or suffering upset tummies?
Below are some of the single remedies that can be helpful. If you find that your remedies are having no effect or not enough, a quick consultation can be helpful in picking a remedy that can help support and calm, because there are many more remedies than I’ve listed here.
Essential oils can also be helpful and, of course, good nutrition is paramount at this time. Keeping channels of communication open and a little quiet nurturing from a parent, partner or friend can be essential as well.
Here’s the link to the Exam & Study Stress post again if you missed it on the way down here.
Remedies for Exam Stress
Aconite is needed when there is intense fear and high anxiety about forthcoming exams or tests. The student may be restless and panicky, and may pace up and down, fearing the worst possible outcome. It’s a life and death situation in their mind! Also see AAA 200c further down the post.
Arg Nit students are extremely anxious about their exams and will study to extremes in their efforts to do well. Symptoms may include weakness and trembling, and they may be nervous, restless and impulsive. They may crave sugar to keep them going, but are worse for it resulting in diarrhoea, which may also appear as the exams loom.
Ars Alb is good for people who get very anxious and very restless, especially after midnight. They may panic and pace the room to settle to themselves, and they are classically high achievers who are overly fastidious, getting worse as exams come closer.
Calc phos can be helpful for headaches that come on after too much study or just from being at school. It’s also indicated where students become tired and uncaring about their studies, with inability to think due to exhaustion.
Gelsemium is classic performance anxiety where the sufferer is dull, apathetic, withdrawn and wants to be left alone. They want to stay in bed, feel heavy and depressed – basically they’re paralysed with fear and feel sure they are going to fail! Their whole energy is heavy and this is how they feel and look – physically and mentally exhausted from overwork and anxiety, with anticipation of what’s to come. See also Anticipation & Anxiety further down the post
Lycopodium has great anxiety and fear of failure around forthcoming exams. They try to bolster their self-confidence by bragging and generally poor behaviour. They are pretty bossy with their peers and inferiors, but look up to their superiors. They are overwhelmed by too much to do, but usually do extremely well once they get doing, and this is definitely the case with anything involving public speaking. Symptoms may present as indigestion, loose stool, tummy aches and wind, and headaches from low blood sugar. Like Arg Nit they also crave sugar.
Kali Phos is traditionally known as a nerve tonic and can help with mental and physical depression from excitement, overwork or worry, as well as what we’d call nervous exhaustion. There may be headaches, physical weakness, insomnia, low appetite, weak sight and humming or buzzing in the ears. It can be useful as a tissue salt (Kali Phos 6x), which can be taken twice daily if needed.
Nux Vomica students are usually very focused, very competitive and very irritable. They don’t tend to have emotional issues around the exams, but will over-do the coffee, sugar and other stimulants in an effort to keep going to cram. They can make life miserable for the rest of the family, suffering also from indigestion, headaches and constipation and 4am is a classic time to find them awake and overthinking. They then have trouble falling back to sleep and if they do, watch out for Mr/Miss Grumpy!!
Picric acid is a useful remedy in cases where physical symptoms are brought on from overstudy, especially headaches, which typically start at the back of the head. Prolonged study can cause mental strain, with an inability to concentrate or collect their thoughts. There is usually weakness with any of the acid based remedies (Phos Ac, Pic Ac, Mur Ac, etc).
Sulphur students tend to be lazy, untidy, disorganised and will put off starting their study. They are the ones with the messy rooms, pizza boxes and takeaway containers strewn around, and you’ll find them studying late at night with music blaring. Their sleep tends to be restless and noisy when stressed and they are generally on the hot side, sometimes smelly and not great at showering!!
Travel
Many young people head overseas on scholarships, school trips or just for fun.
There is a wealth of information on the website about homeopathy for travel and tips for travel, plus we have two specific kits specifically for travel.
For confident single remedy prescribers you can look at our 21 remedy Travel Kit, which covers most things you’d be likely to experience while on an overseas trip to somewhere exotic.
Our mini travel kit of 10 combination remedies is often easier for a young person who may need some support while away and you can always upsize the pouch to fit 20 remedies if you have extras you want to include.
If you haven’t chosen to vax your child, do speak to us about options to support against some of the diseases that circulate, particularly in Asia, that your child may not have been exposed to in Australia. We have options for mossie issues and similar too, with a big info pack we can send out to you if you email us via the contact form.
Small Remedies
These are a few smaller or more unusual remedies I came across in my research for this post
Aethusa This is a small remedy which is sometimes useful in cases of exam nerves. When indicated, the person may feel they simply cannot do it, they are incapable. They may even get to the point where they feel they simply cannot take anymore in, they just can’t think or concentrate!
Anacardium is another remedy for nervous exhaustion from over-study and lack of confidence. They commonly suffer fear around the exam and loss of memory and may get into the exam and their memory deserts them completely! This is going to be a useful remedy if there is a history of exam fear. Your homeopath will usually prescribe this remedy or you’ll find it in our Exam & Study combination.
Ruta is known to be useful for over-exertion, usually of a musculoskeletal nature. It is therefore also indicated when study requires a lot of close work and reading, resulting in headaches from straining or over-exerting the eyes. The eyes may end up red and sore, and the headache is often shooting or pressing in character, and felt in the forehead and temples.
Combination Remedies & Essences
AAA 200c – Anxiety & Stress includes those remedies traditionally indicated for intense anxiety, stress and strong fear. This might include fear of flying or going to the dentist, anxiety about a job interview or panicked about giving a talk or taking an exam. Symptoms might include acute fear, anxiety or anticipation, panic or just a feeling of being stressed and overwhelmed. This is similar to Anticipation & Anxiety but a slightly different combination and a higher potency to match the intensity of some states of anxiety and stress.
Anticipation & Anxiety Combination, both of which include remedies traditionally indicated for a variety of situations where anxiety or anticipation may be an issue. Symptoms might include acute fear, low grade anxiety or anticipation, panic, with symptoms such as mental paralysis, palpitations, lack of appetite, nausea, etc.
Exam & Study Combination which can be useful throughout the study phase, right into the exams, and includes some of the single remedies we’ve talked about above.
Sleep Combination is helpful for trouble falling or staying asleep during these stressful times.
SOS is an all-round emotional saviour! It’s our version of Rescue Remedy for the 21st Century. Put in a water bottle with one of the above on the day of the exam and sip as required. If fear or anxiety is very extreme on the day, consider Aconite or AAA (see above) either in addition or instead of SOS!
TS Nerves & Vitality is a great nervous system support and can help calm and soothe. It can be added to a water bottle or glass and sipped regularly when the system is overwrought.
Some of the WyldChyld Essences have an affinity for anxiety and stress and are applicable to adults and children alike. In particular I Can Do It and It’s All Good come to mind, but the student may pick something different based on their own internal voice at this time.
Resilience, one of our Soul Harmonics range, can be a great support during times of stress when energy is spread thin and a young person just has to get through. It is available as oral drops or a room spray. The Soul Harmonics range is worth a quick viewing as there may be things that jump out to you or your young person for support in these times.
When to take and how much?
I generally recommend starting to take remedies when the stress begins. Again, if the stress is extreme or begins months before the event, a constitutional consultation with your homeopath is your best option. Otherwise, start when the symptoms become evident.
If it’s a couple of weeks before then just dose as required. If your chosen remedy is helping, you shouldn’t need too many doses, too often. My suggestion is to give a dose or two the day before if symptoms are only ramping up then, plus a couple of doses on the day. If permitted, you can add your remedy (drops or pilules) to a water bottle, shake, and you have your remedy in extended form to sip through the exam.
Do have a read through the FAQs as there is a lot of really useful answers in there and each product should also have some information about how and when.
Resources
Desktop Companion to Physical Pathology; Morrison R, Hahnemann Clinic Publishing, 1998
Murphy R; Lotus Materia Medica 2003
Elements of Health Blog
About Melanie Creedy
Melanie Creedy is a Licentiate of the British School of Homeopathy in the UK and holds a Bachelor of Health Science in Homeopathy. She is registered with the Australian Register of Homoeopaths (AROH) and is a member of the Australian Homoeopathic Association. She was Vice President and Professional Development Coordinator of the Australian Homoeopathic Association from 2011 to 2015 and editor of the AHA National Newsletter from 2012 to 2020.
Melanie has used homeopathy since the mid-1980s and has been in practice since 1998. For many years she ran The Children’s Ear Clinic in Western Australia, but since her tree change to Tasmania, has a special interest in helping individuals manage their life and health through looking at a diagnosis or condition in relation to the symbolism of this unique picture. Armed with a range of remedies from the most common to the most unusual and esoteric, Melanie guides people to plumb the depths of their life and spiritual path with homeopathy to help them find insights, to understand and to heal.
Melanie has developed her own methods of dealing with complex cases over the years and offers distance consultations via phone, zoom and skype to allow people Australia-wide to access her services.
For many years Melanie taught people how to use homeopathy in their homes, with their children and with their pets. She has run classes on how to use homeopathy with native animals and taught courses on homeopathy for birthing to doulas. Since moving to Tasmania she has found writing a better forum to reach more people. You will find many posts reaching back over her 25 years in practice here, revised and updated over time.
Homeopathy is a traditional medicine. It may be used in conjunction with other medicines. For any ongoing chronic condition, it is important to be assessed or examined by your healthcare professional or specialist. Always seek medical advice in emergencies. The information provided in this blog does not constitute medical advice but is for information only. If in doubt as to the appropriateness of a suggestion or treatment seek advice from your homeopath.
Resources
Nine Homeopathic Remedies for Exam and Study Support