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Angiopteris madagascariensis
Year 2026, Issue 10, Article 2CaseAuthor: Jonathan Stallick
Frankie, female, 7 years old, anxiety.Frankie presented with marked anxiety, sensory sensitivity, developmental delay, and autistic features.
From early on she was scared of almost everything: going out, public toilets, loudspeaker announcements in stations. Strong hypersensitivity to noise: drills, hand dryers, blenders. Busy places overwhelmed her. There was a clear processing delay – she often took time to answer, as if overloaded.Pregnancy & birthPregnancy itself was emotionally anxious. Mother had been told she was infertile and took Clomid for six months prior to conception, with significant side-effects (weight gain, hot flushes, anger, feeling “crazy”). Conception took a long time; IVF had already been planned. Throughout pregnancy the mother was very fearful of losing the baby and had many private ultrasounds.
Labour went 9 days over and lasted two days. At 8 cm dilation she was given Diamorphine, after which labour stalled completely. The baby’s heartbeat was lost; mother was put under general anaesthetic and an emergency caesarean performed. Frankie required resuscitation at birth.
She now has a younger sibling (3 years old).Development & behaviourAt 12 months she received the MMR.
She was extremely hyperactive, constantly on the move, running, climbing, laughing a lot, but then becoming scared and needing rescuing. Strong obsession with watching videos, running around while watching. Marked stimming: high-pitched squealing, humming, hand-flapping, running on the spot.
Speech was limited to getting needs met; no real conversation. No interaction with other children. If another child cried, she cried louder – no sympathy.
Morning behaviour was striking: when waking she would bang her face into the pillow. She liked her mother to come into the bedroom immediately.Sensitivities & physicalsStrong aversion to mixed foods. Diet consisted mainly of fruit and vegetables (celery, avocado, mango, capsicum), toast, butter, ice cream. Avoided meat, fish, eggs, pizza.
Sleep was generally good. Warm in bed, with head sweating.
History of constipation and stool withholding (potty issues), though stools later improved. Recurrent urinary infections, including a collapse to the floor two years earlier requiring IV antibiotics.
Marked dental issues: as a younger child she ground her teeth severely, resulting in removal of 8 teeth and caps on back teeth.
Other features: itchy anus, history of worms at school, nose-picking. She loved swimming but was fearful. Enjoyed drawing, singing, and pausing videos to look closely. Notably bright cognitively: taught herself maths, loved alphabet and reading, once sang a song in Spanish.AnalysisFern, 3-400.00.00: speech limited; no interaction with other children.
Silica series, 3-430.00.00: very connected to mother and issues around sociability.
Carbon series, 3-432.00.00: but stuck in fear; if another child cried, she cried louder.
Phases 5: exuberance- running around squealing, flapping hands.
Stage 15: mother’s terror of losing baby during pregnancy.
Prescription: Angiopteris madagascariensis.Follow-upAfter 4 months:
Initial period included a brief “Christmas spike” where behaviour intensified, but this quickly settled to about once weekly and then continued to improve.
Mother’s words: “She’s doing amazing.”
Changes were striking:
• Much calmer overall.
• Speech greatly increased, clearer and more spontaneous.
• For the first time she asked her mum for a kiss.
• Dramatic reduction in hypervigilance; mother described herself as “finally off constant alert”.
• Bowels now open several times daily (previous constipation resolved).
• Passed stool at school – previously unheard of.
• No discharge; urinary control improved, no holding on.
• Jaw no longer clenched.
• Better tolerance of noise.
• Attended a new playgroup, went in willingly, played appropriately and waited her turn
• Marked improvement socially.
Academically and at school:
• Reading improved.
• Speech still blunt but functional.
• Awarded “Star of the Week” for phonics.
• Teachers and playgroup leaders expressed amazement at the change.Residual autistic traits remain (hand-flapping, squeaking when excited), but these are now associated with happiness rather than dysregulation.
Mother remains delighted and astonished by the transformation.
From early on she was scared of almost everything: going out, public toilets, loudspeaker announcements in stations. Strong hypersensitivity to noise: drills, hand dryers, blenders. Busy places overwhelmed her. There was a clear processing delay – she often took time to answer, as if overloaded.Pregnancy & birthPregnancy itself was emotionally anxious. Mother had been told she was infertile and took Clomid for six months prior to conception, with significant side-effects (weight gain, hot flushes, anger, feeling “crazy”). Conception took a long time; IVF had already been planned. Throughout pregnancy the mother was very fearful of losing the baby and had many private ultrasounds.
Labour went 9 days over and lasted two days. At 8 cm dilation she was given Diamorphine, after which labour stalled completely. The baby’s heartbeat was lost; mother was put under general anaesthetic and an emergency caesarean performed. Frankie required resuscitation at birth.
She now has a younger sibling (3 years old).Development & behaviourAt 12 months she received the MMR.
She was extremely hyperactive, constantly on the move, running, climbing, laughing a lot, but then becoming scared and needing rescuing. Strong obsession with watching videos, running around while watching. Marked stimming: high-pitched squealing, humming, hand-flapping, running on the spot.
Speech was limited to getting needs met; no real conversation. No interaction with other children. If another child cried, she cried louder – no sympathy.
Morning behaviour was striking: when waking she would bang her face into the pillow. She liked her mother to come into the bedroom immediately.Sensitivities & physicalsStrong aversion to mixed foods. Diet consisted mainly of fruit and vegetables (celery, avocado, mango, capsicum), toast, butter, ice cream. Avoided meat, fish, eggs, pizza.
Sleep was generally good. Warm in bed, with head sweating.
History of constipation and stool withholding (potty issues), though stools later improved. Recurrent urinary infections, including a collapse to the floor two years earlier requiring IV antibiotics.
Marked dental issues: as a younger child she ground her teeth severely, resulting in removal of 8 teeth and caps on back teeth.
Other features: itchy anus, history of worms at school, nose-picking. She loved swimming but was fearful. Enjoyed drawing, singing, and pausing videos to look closely. Notably bright cognitively: taught herself maths, loved alphabet and reading, once sang a song in Spanish.AnalysisFern, 3-400.00.00: speech limited; no interaction with other children.
Silica series, 3-430.00.00: very connected to mother and issues around sociability.
Carbon series, 3-432.00.00: but stuck in fear; if another child cried, she cried louder.
Phases 5: exuberance- running around squealing, flapping hands.
Stage 15: mother’s terror of losing baby during pregnancy.
Prescription: Angiopteris madagascariensis.Follow-upAfter 4 months:
Initial period included a brief “Christmas spike” where behaviour intensified, but this quickly settled to about once weekly and then continued to improve.
Mother’s words: “She’s doing amazing.”
Changes were striking:
• Much calmer overall.
• Speech greatly increased, clearer and more spontaneous.
• For the first time she asked her mum for a kiss.
• Dramatic reduction in hypervigilance; mother described herself as “finally off constant alert”.
• Bowels now open several times daily (previous constipation resolved).
• Passed stool at school – previously unheard of.
• No discharge; urinary control improved, no holding on.
• Jaw no longer clenched.
• Better tolerance of noise.
• Attended a new playgroup, went in willingly, played appropriately and waited her turn
• Marked improvement socially.
Academically and at school:
• Reading improved.
• Speech still blunt but functional.
• Awarded “Star of the Week” for phonics.
• Teachers and playgroup leaders expressed amazement at the change.Residual autistic traits remain (hand-flapping, squeaking when excited), but these are now associated with happiness rather than dysregulation.
Mother remains delighted and astonished by the transformation.