A flower from the daisy family, Chamomile has been used for centuries as a tea or tisane to help calm and sleep.
Homeopathically it can be used for the same reason. The mental emotional aspect is key for Chamomilla. Often used with teething children or for tantrums, they are restless, whining, irritable and capricious. This is the child who wants something, and as soon as you give it to them they will throw it away. They want to be picked up, then will arch their back like they want to be down again. Nothing is right. They may cry piteously, or be irritable, snappy and peevish. They are impatient and intolerant, easily offended and extremely sensitive to any slight (even one imagined).
Physical complaints in Chamomilla may be caused by anger. I had one acute case with a young girl who was told in the early evening that she would not be able to see her friends as planned on the weekend (through circumstances outside of the family’s control). She was intensely angry about it but calmed down before bed. However she woke a couple of hours later with an extremely painful ear. The pain was intense and she was crying pitifully. An onion compress provided marginal relief, but a few doses of Chamomilla stopped the earache completely. She slept the night through and in the morning had no remaining symptoms, and her mood was also much improved.
The case above also highlights an important Chamomilla keynote- they feel pain very intensely. If it seems more painful than it should be, consider Chamomilla.
Chamomilla is extremely well known as a teething remedy. It has saved many a family when baby is fractious and in pain from cutting teeth, they can’t be put down and everyone is miserable.
Physically they may also have attacks of severe vomiting, feel sick from anger and have slimy green diarrhoea (like chopped spinach). They may sweat easily and feel better for it, and can be sensitive to the wind and cold. They may have nightmares or just disturbed and restless sleep. They have little appetite but are thirsty for cold drinks or acidic drinks.
Chamomilla is an essential remedy in my family kit. What have you used it for?