Common Childhood Diseases and Fast Solution.
Many times we didn’t best short solution for our baby Diseases we have to mention exact and short time Solution for your little hurt / baby. If the child care is followed according to Ayurvedic principles, or according to suggestions given in this book, the chances of a child falling ill are minimised. Having said that, it is important to be acquainted with simple remedies for common childhood infections. Obviously, one should consult a doctor if symptoms do not subside and/or worsen, but it is better not to give strong medication or antibiotics to children. It is important to know at least a few common Ayurvedic remedies. If problems occur in a nursing infant, the mother has to be treated along with the child. Ayurved has suggested that in some instances, the medication may be applied on the mother’s breast, in the form of a paste, and removed just before the child is fed.
Abdominal Pains and Colic : Both infants and older children suffer from this complaint at some point in time. In a breast fed child, stomach ache is generally caused either by something in the mother’s diet, or by indigestion. The main question that arises in this case is – how do we know that the baby has abdominal pain? If the abdomen seems distended, or crying increases if it is touched, then-one can safely assume that there is pain or colic. At such times, a paste prepared by grinding a piece of asafoetida (hing) in a few drops of hotwater on a grindstone (see Balguti), should be applied on the area around the baby’s navel while still warm. Instead of hing, dikemali can also be used. Another option is to prepare a paste with ajwain powder and apply it on the baby’s abdomen. Mild fomentation done on the abdomen, generally gives instant relief. The method for fomentation is as follows: Heat a handkerchief on a griddle or a pan, and after ensuring that the temperature is bearable, place this on the baby’s abdomen. It is recommended that the mother eat a mixture of ajwain, badishop, balantshop, jeera, and saindhav, after lunch or in the form of a powdered mixture with hot water.
In addition, she should drink only boiled water and eat light, easily digestible food.
Slightly older children can be given Santulan Annayog, Or pravalpanchamrut. These are tableted and so should be crushed into a powder before administering to the child with water.
Constipation : It is normal for a very young baby to pass stools seven to eight times a day, which may also be liquid in nature. However, as the baby’s digestive system matures, the frequency reduces to once or twice daily (sometimes as early as the 2nd or 3rd month). At times there may be a tendency to pass hard stools, or to strain excessively. In such cases, the baby’s abdomen should be gently massaged with castor oil. Soak 10-15 raisins in warm water for 10-15 minutes, strain, and give the baby this water to drink. Ensure that the mother’s diet contains a sufficient amount of ghee, and that she drinks warm water.
Older children can be given 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of hirda (Ternninalia chebula) powder, or 1/2 teaspoon castor oil with warm water. This oil can also be applied to the anal region.
Loose Motions : These are generally caused by indigestion, or impure water/food. This may also occur as a result of teething. Simple home remedies may be tried if the baby is feeding normally, is bright and chirpy, and passes only three – four loose motions in a day. If the baby seems drained and listless and has more severe loose motions, you should consult a doctor immediately.
An effective remedy is as follows. Suntha, ativisha, nagarmotha, and kakadshingi, should be ground with honey on a clean sahan (see Balguti), in a clockwise direction, for three – four turns, and the mixture should be fed to the baby. If the child cries before passing stools, this could be because of abdominal cramps. In this case, murudsheng should be added to the above mixture. For a day or two, the mother should eat only mung khichadi (rice and mung dal cooked together in water), buttermilk, and shashti shah i lahya. It is important to watch out for dehydration in the baby at this time. Add a pinch of salt, and a teaspoon of sugar, to a cup of boiled water, and give 4-5 spoonfuls of this at regular intervals to the baby. Slightly older children can be given pravalpanchamrut, kutajarishta, or kutajaghana vati powder, after consulting an Ayurvedic physician. The baby may also have loose motions when new foods are added to its diet, so take care when introducing a new food item. It is advisable to add new foods with consideration, and not to be strict about introducing them at a particular age.
Vomiting :
Babies sometimes vomit after breast-feeding (for e.g. once out of several feeds a day). If weight gain proceeds normally, and the child is happy, there is no need to worry. Often the vomiting serves to remove any phlegm / kapha that may have accumulated in the stomach. However if vomiting increases (for eg. more than once a day) and this is accompanied by other symptoms such as a sour smell, or if the abdomen feels hard (to the touch), or the baby is restless, then medicines may be used. If it becomes listless, or vomits even more frequently, medical consultation should be sought immediately.
After feeding, it is advisable to hold the baby vertically near the torso, and gently rub its back in an upward direction beginning from the lower back. This generally prevents vomiting. Care should be taken to ensure there is no pressure on the stomach, or that the baby is not playfully put into an uncomfortable position. Grind pimpli and suntha three to four times each in honey on the grindstone. Given this paste to the baby. The mother should take extra care of herself so that her breast milk has absolutely no imbalances during this time. Older children can be given medicines, like pravalpanchamrut and eladi vati churna.
REDUCED SLEEP OR RESTLESSNESS : We have learned earlier that the child needs adequate, sound sleep, and should wake up happily. Waking up with a cry, generally indicates that the sleep was disturbed. An oil massage given at bedtime, a drop of ghee in the baby’s nose, and a little oil in the ears, a pinch of nutmeg powder gently massaged onto the head after bathing, or the application of a paste, made by grinding nutmeg in ghee, on the forehead, all help to ensure a sound sleep. Older children can be given San Relax Syrup, or Sanbrahmi tablets. Playing soothing music for the child is good as well. The baby should be properly covered with a sheet or blanket, anti-mosquito measures should be taken, and there should be no direct light falling on the child’s eyes.
REDUCED APPETITE OR WORMS : Worms normally cause a reduced appetite, and some children also develop faint white patches on the face if they have worm infestations. In such cases, two pinches of vavding powder in honey, or 1/2 or one teaspoon of vidangarishta in water, may be given to the child. A paste made by rubbing ground ativisha on the tongue reduces worms and increases the appetite. Santulan Bal Herbal Syrup is also very helpful.
Bed Wetting at Night : If a child continues to wet the bed two to three times a night without waking up, this is known as bed-wetting. By the age of three, the child should be able to control bowel and bladder urges for a time. Worms or constipation usually causes lack of control, and in such cases, vidangarishta, balachaturbhadra powder, or kruminashak (anti-worm) medicines should be given. ‘San Rose’ and `Shatavari Kalpa’ also give good results.
Another reason for this complaint is local muscle weakness (weak sphincters), and this may be resolved with toilet training, making necessary dietary changes, and the required medication. In some instances, the complaint indicates some other potential disorder in the urinary tract. Children who feel insecure, are fearful of something, or have nightmares, may suffer from bed-wetting. Parents should make sure that the child receives sufficient love and affection, and feels safe. It is helpful if the person who the child feels closest to puts it to bed. Irrespective of the cause, neither reprimanding the child nor ignoring the problem will help. If the disturbance is not dealt with correctly, and at the appropriate time, the child could enter adulthood with a flawed psychological disposition.
COUGHS, COLDS AND FEVER : At the first sign of a cold or fever, the child should be given 1/8th _h and 1/4 th teaspoon of Sitopaladi powder with honey. A special mixture, known as Balachaturbhadra, should be prepared for the child. It contains ativisha, kakadshingi, long pepper, and nagarmotha powders, in equal proportions. Two or three doses, each comprising of 2 pinches of this mixture with honey, give significant relief. Balachaturbhadra is also useful in cases of indigestion and loose motions.
Oil and warm fomentation with rui (Calotropis gigantea) leaves, or ajwain seeds is helpful. Apply a few drops of Santulan Abhyang (Coconut) Oil on the baby’s back and chest. Heat rui leaves on a pan but make sure that they are of a bearable temperature for the baby’s sensitive skin. Place the warm leaves on the baby’s chest and then on its
back. When the leaves reach room temperature, they can be re-heated and applied again. This can be done up to four or five times. Instead of rui leaves one could also use a handful of ajwain seeds tied up in a small, thin cotton cloth. This small bundle can be heated and applied several times like the rui leaves. The ajwain seeds in cotton cloth, heated and held near the baby’s nostrils also helps relieve cold. One or two drops of warm diluted ghee put in the nostrils brings relief if the nose is blocked.
If the child has a cough, make the following decoction. One behada, a one inch piece of licorice, one ripe leaf of adulsa, and four cups of water, should be boiled, until the liquid is reduced to one cup. This liquid should be strained and given to the child. A little khadi sakhar (candy sugar) may be added for taste. Children between two to six months of age can be given two to three teaspoons of this water two to three times a day. Five to six teas000ns are advisable for children over six months.
Fever should be under careful observation, especially in children under the age of five. The temperature often shoots up rapidly, and may even cause convulsions, so it is wise to seek medical help the moment the fever begins to increase. In the meantime, measures should be taken to bring down the fever. These include: placing a wet compress on the forehead, cold sponging (wiping the child’s body with cool water), padabhyang with Santulan Padabhyang ghruta, and feeding the child a solution of sugar and salt in.
TEETHING : Teething is a very important milestone in the baby’s life, and it usually presents no problems for a child who has undergone Garbha Sanskar, and has been provided with correct diet and nourishment. Common complaints associated with teething include loose motions, fever, vomiting and headaches. Drooling, and the need to bite on something (due to irritation of the gums), are also common. A piece of khareek (dry date) or a stick of licorice, are ideal items for baby to chew on. During this time, the gums can also be gently rubbed with a powder of amla and dhayati flowers mixed with honey. This not only relieves teething problems, but also reduces gum irritability. The process is made easier by giving the child four drops of vachadi ghruta in the morning and evening, and by applying a paste (lep) of dantoddbhedagadantak rasa to the gums.
These complaints are usually not very severe, and since they disappear on their own, as soon as the teeth erupt, no specific remedies are required. Expert advice becomes necessary when symptoms are severe enough to interfere with the child’s general health. Beware that parents may inadvertently ignore vomiting or loose motions at this time assuming that they are due to teething, when in fact they may be due to more serious causes.
BABY TALK : A child’s speech becomes clearer as it grows. Vekhand and hirda, both present in balguti, are known to improve pronunciation. Special remedies are called for, if there are speech and pronunciation defects. In such cases, a powder made from vekhand, licorice, dry ginger and ajwain, in ghee made from cow’s milk, is prescribed. Another option is to rub a mixture of jatamansi powder and honey on the tongue. Saraswat powder, saraswatarishta, and other similar medicines, should be used only after consultation with an Ayurvedic physician.
TONSILS : Many children today suffer from tonsil problems, with complaints ranging from a sore or reddened throat, pain during swallowing, talking and drinking, to visibly swollen tonsils on either side of the throat. These complaints are generally caused by excessive consumption of oily or cold foods, cold water, or ice cream. The child needs remedies that will pacify pitta and kapha. It has often been noticed that the complaints persist despite the surgical removal of tonsils. Therefore it is better to focus on increasing the body’s resistance rather than surgery.
Simple methodsto increase the body’s resistance are as follows. The child should be given Santulan Sitopaladi powder with honey each morning and evening, gargle with warm water, turmeric, and salt, and be given San Rose regularly. An even better option is to take medicines specific to the constitution, on the advice of an expert vaidya
ANUPAN : The medium in which medicines are given to the child is called ANUPAN. For very young children, breast milk is used to mix the medications. Other options are to prepare chatan (paste put on the tongue) by grinding the herbs in suvarnajal (gold fortified water), honey, or ghee.
Paediatric medicines should be mild, and neither too bitter nor spicy. Powders should be strained (sifted) to obtain finer powder, or a tablet can be crushed into a fine powder, before administering. There are normally several doubts about what dosage should be used for very young children. The medicines described in this chapter, and even the rest of the book, are detailed enough, so that if followed properly, you will automatically end up making the required amount of medicine or dose to be given to either mother or child. However, if you have the measuring facility, Ayurved offers the following simple guidance.
Abdominal Pains and Colic : Both infants and older children suffer from this complaint at some point in time. In a breast fed child, stomach ache is generally caused either by something in the mother’s diet, or by indigestion. The main question that arises in this case is – how do we know that the baby has abdominal pain? If the abdomen seems distended, or crying increases if it is touched, then-one can safely assume that there is pain or colic. At such times, a paste prepared by grinding a piece of asafoetida (hing) in a few drops of hotwater on a grindstone (see Balguti), should be applied on the area around the baby’s navel while still warm. Instead of hing, dikemali can also be used. Another option is to prepare a paste with ajwain powder and apply it on the baby’s abdomen. Mild fomentation done on the abdomen, generally gives instant relief. The method for fomentation is as follows: Heat a handkerchief on a griddle or a pan, and after ensuring that the temperature is bearable, place this on the baby’s abdomen. It is recommended that the mother eat a mixture of ajwain, badishop, balantshop, jeera, and saindhav, after lunch or in the form of a powdered mixture with hot water.
In addition, she should drink only boiled water and eat light, easily digestible food.
Slightly older children can be given Santulan Annayog, Or pravalpanchamrut. These are tableted and so should be crushed into a powder before administering to the child with water.
Constipation : It is normal for a very young baby to pass stools seven to eight times a day, which may also be liquid in nature. However, as the baby’s digestive system matures, the frequency reduces to once or twice daily (sometimes as early as the 2nd or 3rd month). At times there may be a tendency to pass hard stools, or to strain excessively. In such cases, the baby’s abdomen should be gently massaged with castor oil. Soak 10-15 raisins in warm water for 10-15 minutes, strain, and give the baby this water to drink. Ensure that the mother’s diet contains a sufficient amount of ghee, and that she drinks warm water.
Older children can be given 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of hirda (Ternninalia chebula) powder, or 1/2 teaspoon castor oil with warm water. This oil can also be applied to the anal region.
Loose Motions : These are generally caused by indigestion, or impure water/food. This may also occur as a result of teething. Simple home remedies may be tried if the baby is feeding normally, is bright and chirpy, and passes only three – four loose motions in a day. If the baby seems drained and listless and has more severe loose motions, you should consult a doctor immediately.
An effective remedy is as follows. Suntha, ativisha, nagarmotha, and kakadshingi, should be ground with honey on a clean sahan (see Balguti), in a clockwise direction, for three – four turns, and the mixture should be fed to the baby. If the child cries before passing stools, this could be because of abdominal cramps. In this case, murudsheng should be added to the above mixture. For a day or two, the mother should eat only mung khichadi (rice and mung dal cooked together in water), buttermilk, and shashti shah i lahya. It is important to watch out for dehydration in the baby at this time. Add a pinch of salt, and a teaspoon of sugar, to a cup of boiled water, and give 4-5 spoonfuls of this at regular intervals to the baby. Slightly older children can be given pravalpanchamrut, kutajarishta, or kutajaghana vati powder, after consulting an Ayurvedic physician. The baby may also have loose motions when new foods are added to its diet, so take care when introducing a new food item. It is advisable to add new foods with consideration, and not to be strict about introducing them at a particular age.
Vomiting :
Babies sometimes vomit after breast-feeding (for e.g. once out of several feeds a day). If weight gain proceeds normally, and the child is happy, there is no need to worry. Often the vomiting serves to remove any phlegm / kapha that may have accumulated in the stomach. However if vomiting increases (for eg. more than once a day) and this is accompanied by other symptoms such as a sour smell, or if the abdomen feels hard (to the touch), or the baby is restless, then medicines may be used. If it becomes listless, or vomits even more frequently, medical consultation should be sought immediately.
After feeding, it is advisable to hold the baby vertically near the torso, and gently rub its back in an upward direction beginning from the lower back. This generally prevents vomiting. Care should be taken to ensure there is no pressure on the stomach, or that the baby is not playfully put into an uncomfortable position. Grind pimpli and suntha three to four times each in honey on the grindstone. Given this paste to the baby. The mother should take extra care of herself so that her breast milk has absolutely no imbalances during this time. Older children can be given medicines, like pravalpanchamrut and eladi vati churna.
REDUCED SLEEP OR RESTLESSNESS : We have learned earlier that the child needs adequate, sound sleep, and should wake up happily. Waking up with a cry, generally indicates that the sleep was disturbed. An oil massage given at bedtime, a drop of ghee in the baby’s nose, and a little oil in the ears, a pinch of nutmeg powder gently massaged onto the head after bathing, or the application of a paste, made by grinding nutmeg in ghee, on the forehead, all help to ensure a sound sleep. Older children can be given San Relax Syrup, or Sanbrahmi tablets. Playing soothing music for the child is good as well. The baby should be properly covered with a sheet or blanket, anti-mosquito measures should be taken, and there should be no direct light falling on the child’s eyes.
REDUCED APPETITE OR WORMS : Worms normally cause a reduced appetite, and some children also develop faint white patches on the face if they have worm infestations. In such cases, two pinches of vavding powder in honey, or 1/2 or one teaspoon of vidangarishta in water, may be given to the child. A paste made by rubbing ground ativisha on the tongue reduces worms and increases the appetite. Santulan Bal Herbal Syrup is also very helpful.
Bed Wetting at Night : If a child continues to wet the bed two to three times a night without waking up, this is known as bed-wetting. By the age of three, the child should be able to control bowel and bladder urges for a time. Worms or constipation usually causes lack of control, and in such cases, vidangarishta, balachaturbhadra powder, or kruminashak (anti-worm) medicines should be given. ‘San Rose’ and `Shatavari Kalpa’ also give good results.
Another reason for this complaint is local muscle weakness (weak sphincters), and this may be resolved with toilet training, making necessary dietary changes, and the required medication. In some instances, the complaint indicates some other potential disorder in the urinary tract. Children who feel insecure, are fearful of something, or have nightmares, may suffer from bed-wetting. Parents should make sure that the child receives sufficient love and affection, and feels safe. It is helpful if the person who the child feels closest to puts it to bed. Irrespective of the cause, neither reprimanding the child nor ignoring the problem will help. If the disturbance is not dealt with correctly, and at the appropriate time, the child could enter adulthood with a flawed psychological disposition.
COUGHS, COLDS AND FEVER : At the first sign of a cold or fever, the child should be given 1/8th _h and 1/4 th teaspoon of Sitopaladi powder with honey. A special mixture, known as Balachaturbhadra, should be prepared for the child. It contains ativisha, kakadshingi, long pepper, and nagarmotha powders, in equal proportions. Two or three doses, each comprising of 2 pinches of this mixture with honey, give significant relief. Balachaturbhadra is also useful in cases of indigestion and loose motions.
Oil and warm fomentation with rui (Calotropis gigantea) leaves, or ajwain seeds is helpful. Apply a few drops of Santulan Abhyang (Coconut) Oil on the baby’s back and chest. Heat rui leaves on a pan but make sure that they are of a bearable temperature for the baby’s sensitive skin. Place the warm leaves on the baby’s chest and then on its
back. When the leaves reach room temperature, they can be re-heated and applied again. This can be done up to four or five times. Instead of rui leaves one could also use a handful of ajwain seeds tied up in a small, thin cotton cloth. This small bundle can be heated and applied several times like the rui leaves. The ajwain seeds in cotton cloth, heated and held near the baby’s nostrils also helps relieve cold. One or two drops of warm diluted ghee put in the nostrils brings relief if the nose is blocked.
If the child has a cough, make the following decoction. One behada, a one inch piece of licorice, one ripe leaf of adulsa, and four cups of water, should be boiled, until the liquid is reduced to one cup. This liquid should be strained and given to the child. A little khadi sakhar (candy sugar) may be added for taste. Children between two to six months of age can be given two to three teaspoons of this water two to three times a day. Five to six teas000ns are advisable for children over six months.
Fever should be under careful observation, especially in children under the age of five. The temperature often shoots up rapidly, and may even cause convulsions, so it is wise to seek medical help the moment the fever begins to increase. In the meantime, measures should be taken to bring down the fever. These include: placing a wet compress on the forehead, cold sponging (wiping the child’s body with cool water), padabhyang with Santulan Padabhyang ghruta, and feeding the child a solution of sugar and salt in.
TEETHING : Teething is a very important milestone in the baby’s life, and it usually presents no problems for a child who has undergone Garbha Sanskar, and has been provided with correct diet and nourishment. Common complaints associated with teething include loose motions, fever, vomiting and headaches. Drooling, and the need to bite on something (due to irritation of the gums), are also common. A piece of khareek (dry date) or a stick of licorice, are ideal items for baby to chew on. During this time, the gums can also be gently rubbed with a powder of amla and dhayati flowers mixed with honey. This not only relieves teething problems, but also reduces gum irritability. The process is made easier by giving the child four drops of vachadi ghruta in the morning and evening, and by applying a paste (lep) of dantoddbhedagadantak rasa to the gums.
These complaints are usually not very severe, and since they disappear on their own, as soon as the teeth erupt, no specific remedies are required. Expert advice becomes necessary when symptoms are severe enough to interfere with the child’s general health. Beware that parents may inadvertently ignore vomiting or loose motions at this time assuming that they are due to teething, when in fact they may be due to more serious causes.
BABY TALK : A child’s speech becomes clearer as it grows. Vekhand and hirda, both present in balguti, are known to improve pronunciation. Special remedies are called for, if there are speech and pronunciation defects. In such cases, a powder made from vekhand, licorice, dry ginger and ajwain, in ghee made from cow’s milk, is prescribed. Another option is to rub a mixture of jatamansi powder and honey on the tongue. Saraswat powder, saraswatarishta, and other similar medicines, should be used only after consultation with an Ayurvedic physician.
TONSILS : Many children today suffer from tonsil problems, with complaints ranging from a sore or reddened throat, pain during swallowing, talking and drinking, to visibly swollen tonsils on either side of the throat. These complaints are generally caused by excessive consumption of oily or cold foods, cold water, or ice cream. The child needs remedies that will pacify pitta and kapha. It has often been noticed that the complaints persist despite the surgical removal of tonsils. Therefore it is better to focus on increasing the body’s resistance rather than surgery.
Simple methodsto increase the body’s resistance are as follows. The child should be given Santulan Sitopaladi powder with honey each morning and evening, gargle with warm water, turmeric, and salt, and be given San Rose regularly. An even better option is to take medicines specific to the constitution, on the advice of an expert vaidya
ANUPAN : The medium in which medicines are given to the child is called ANUPAN. For very young children, breast milk is used to mix the medications. Other options are to prepare chatan (paste put on the tongue) by grinding the herbs in suvarnajal (gold fortified water), honey, or ghee.
Paediatric medicines should be mild, and neither too bitter nor spicy. Powders should be strained (sifted) to obtain finer powder, or a tablet can be crushed into a fine powder, before administering. There are normally several doubts about what dosage should be used for very young children. The medicines described in this chapter, and even the rest of the book, are detailed enough, so that if followed properly, you will automatically end up making the required amount of medicine or dose to be given to either mother or child. However, if you have the measuring facility, Ayurved offers the following simple guidance.
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