In recent times, a massive change of environment and increasing urbanization can be seen to have an impact on the health and wellbeing of children at large. Improper diet, and bad lifestyle are two main reasons for disease being manifested in children. Habits such as force feeding, eating fast foods, contaminated food, over eating, polluted environment, less physical movements, competitive environment at schools etc play a role in the overall health and immune system for the kids. The lifestyle habits for children, especially in a city, are not conducive to their overall health and wellbeing.
Several disorders in children can be managed through Ayurveda, to list a few:
- Anaemia
- Deficiencies
- Lower immunity
- Obesity
- Severe sneezing and allergy
- Asthma/ Bronchitis
- Tonsilitis
- Nasal polyps
- Tooth infections
- Fungal infections
- Eye sight problems
- Personality disorder
- Attention deficit hyperactivity order (ADHD)
- Symptomatic management of cerebral palsy
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
In the bala avastha, childhood, the dhatus in the body are still being built, so the child is susceptible towards infectious diseases. Further, since kapha dosha is a predominant dosha of this age, a lot of kapha vitiation disorders are expected. However, combination of vitiated doshas, presenting a disease can be commonly seen in children as well. In overall paediatric management of any disorder, preventive approach is adapted and basing the diagnosis on certain basic standards, appropriate therapies are recommended and applied.
Treatment:
It is pertinent to add that lifestyle correction, regular exercising and diet modification will play the most significant part in balachikitsa. As per the symptoms presented, treatments can be prescribed to children and special care in terms of their diet is taken – so that the kapha dosha is not aggravated and the prakriti virudha ahara is not consumed by children. The issues observed are considered as the base factor to explain about prakriti of the child and to elaborate on the dosha vikriti. This shall then pave way for prescribing the appropriate internal medication and external therapy for the child. Elements of Shodhana chikitsa – mild virechana can help in managing the pitta imbalance, while nasya karma helps in balancing kapha – vata dosha imbalances and mild vamana helps in eliminating kapha dosha. Ayurvedic treatment will focus on building overall immunity besides managing the issue at hand.