Diseases Of Children: 

Main causes: Bad breast milk and exposure. Before childbirth the mother’s breasts fill with milk for her newly born. The mother must see that the milk remains pure. Foods for expectant mothers are discussed under puerperal diseases. Poor diet, and such post-delivery tribulations as sickness, exposure to sun-heat, fire heat, wet, and cold may spoil the milk in her breast. Children also easily get affected by exposure, especially exposure to cold. From a cold may develop fever, cough, phlegm, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc. The milk of the mother may be examined by putting a drop of it in water. If it mixes with the water, it is all right. If it curdles, it is bad. Children get diseases that adults don’t get, but get adult’s diseases too. Syphilis and gonorrhea can come to children from their parents. Medicines for children must not be too strong, too bitter, too acid, too pungent or too salty. Ginger juice will make the child cry; so add a little water and honey to it. Bitter and pungent medicines should be mixed with honey or mother’s milk. Pills, powders, and abaleha(semi-solid) should be given in a liquid form. Any asab (fermented medicine) or arista (coaction) should be mixed with honey and given in a conch-shell. There is no hard and fast rule about dosage. The dose should be determined by the child’s strength, age, and disease. Generally, children are given 1\4  to 1\2  the full dose. Those who are eating rice may be given a half-dose. Don’t stop milk for babies. If the mother’s milk is bad, give the milk of a good breast or the milk of cow or goat. Do not make the child fast. Let the mother fast, but not the child. Do not give the milk of an expectant mother to any baby; it is not yet suitable for consumption. The baby cannot speak of his troubles, but he shows what they are. He should be watched closely. If he has pain in the throat, he will put his hand there. If his head aches, he will put his hand there or wrinkle his brow.  Sometimes he pulls his ears. If he cries again and again, you may conclude he has a stomach ache. If he is thirsty, the tongue will come out. If his nose is stuffed up with mucus, he will interrupt his breast-feeding to suck in air through his mouth. If his trouble is in the rectum or bladder, he may cease his urinating. Often he feels thirst when he has lost appetite. After he is three or four months old, he may have aqueous humor of the eyes. Sties are dangerous for the child. A sty is a round-like elevation on the eyelid containing pus. The matter comes out and glues the lids shut. The baby then rubs forehead, nose, and eyes with his hands. He cannot see. In this situation apply Chandrodaybarti Anjan on the lids, and put Netrabindu into the eyes. Rickets come from bad breast milk. Rickety children have cough, loss of appetite, vomiting, drowsiness, emaciation, bad taste in mouth, swollen stomach, and deflated back. He regularly eats but daily loses ground. Salpa Agnimukh Churna is a good medicine for this disease. It will give the baby appetite, strength, and health. If it is a chronic case of rickets, give Kumarkalyan Ras. Due to cold the baby’s palate may descend and set. In this condition he does not want to suckle, has diarrhea, becomes thirsty, vomits, and feels pain in the throat, palate, and face. Balak Ras is a good medicine for this disease.

 

Vomiting milk-The baby vomits smelly curds. This is due to taking bad breast milk. When the disease becomes chronic, the vomits become as thin as water, and there is flatulence and rumbling stomach. Give Mahagandhak in the morning, and Bala Chatusama in the evening. At noon Bhaskar Lavan or Brihat Agnikumar Ras should be given. If there is only milk in his stools, put lime water in his milk.

 

Teething may be accompanied by fever, stomach trouble, etc. But don’t give any medicine. After the teeth have come through, the disease will vanish. If perchance it does not, use Amlaki Rasayan or Kumar Kalyan Ras with embolic myrobalan juice. This treatment will set him right. If teething is late, grind Brihat Labangadi Bati on a stone mortar and apply it to the gums. There will be quick teething.

 

Spasm-Due to excessive gas the neck may become stiff, the face red, the lips blue, the palms clenched, and the baby may have fits and spasms. Kumar Kalyan Ras and Dasamularista (Kasturighatita) are the best medicines. Where there is flatulence, give Agnimukh Churna or Bachadi Churna. Rub 10 to 15 drops of Mahamas Taila on his head.

 

Crying may be for no ascertainable reason. Then give a one-fourth dose of Makaradhwaja with an equal quantity of trifala powder and honey. This will stop the crying. Use the same medicine for a sore on the tongue.

 

Excessive salivation can be cured by Kafa Chintamani and tulshi leaf juice.

 

For retention of urine, give Makaradhwaja with extract of celeus aromaticus leaves.

 

Fever-Give Balak Ras with tulsi leaf juice in the first stages. Kafa Chintamai may also be used. If somewhat older children have malarial symptoms with the fever, give Kumar Kalyan Ras, Bisam Jwarantak Lauha, or Sarbajwar Bati according to the patient’s condition. In remittent / fever use Sarbajwara Bati, and in delirium with low temperature use Brihat Kasturi Bhairab.

 

Spleen and liver enlargement call for Gurpippali and Jakridari Lauha respectively. For stomach troubles you will find Mahasankhadrabak the right medicine.

 

In dropsy use Punarnabasab, and in paleness give Nabayas Lauha.

 

Retching and strong diarrhea call for Labanga Chatusama, Mahagandhak, or Brihat Labangadi Bati. In dysentery give Kutajabaleha and Mabagandhak. Where there is indigestion, give Bhubaneswar Ras, Salpa Agnimukh Churna, Labangadi, or Brihat Labangadi Bati.

 

For children’s cough, Talisadi Churna or Chandramrita Ras is advised. For the chronic cough with stomach disorder, Chyabanpras will be found the best. This medicine is also good for general health. It should be taken with milk. It will bring a wonderful complexion too.

 

For breathing troubles and cough, Sringadi Churna is preferred. Swashara Jog is also efficacious here. For hiccough with breathing difficulty prescribe Sringadi Churna and Swashara Jog. Where there is hiccough with retching, advise Pranballav Ras and Swashara Jog.

 

Vomiting of milk can be stopped by Makaradhwaja and limewater or cow milk with limewater.

 

Worms are removed by Krimighat Bati or Kitari Ras with honey.

 

Blood-vomiting due to fever and cough is cured by Chandramrita Ras and Eladi Gurika.

 

Retention of urine demands Pranballav Ras or Makaradhwaja with celeus aromaticus juice or Saribadi Bati.

 

Thirst is usually due to fever and other ailments. Makaradhwaja with aqua anetha may be given for thirst.

 

Whooping cough is cured by Sringadi Churna, Swashara Jog, and Astangabaleha. The disease attacks only children up to the age of five.

 

Measles is to be treated with the juice of memordica charantia leaves, juice of karala leaves, and Makaradhwaja and according to the directions given in that section of this book.

 

Ophthalmia often attacks children, especially in the hot weather. It is not serious, but Netrabindu is good.

 

Boils of babies and young children are cured by a touch of Mahadasamula Taila. Baharer Nani, Charmarogantak and Sadhana Malam can produce suppuration.

 

A Prickly heat, in Bengali called mashi-pishi, gives the same burning sensation as measles. But it is not as serious as measles. Makaradhwaja is to be taken with aqua of the femigreek grain.

 

Indigo turns the baby’s whole body blue. It is a heart disease, and the heart begins to throb. Makaradhawaja is to be taken with the extract of arjun bark and honey.

 

Prickly heat and itches should be massaged with Charma Rogantak. A paste should be prepared of warmed, ground azadirachta leaves and saffron and applied to the prickly heat.

 

Eczema should be treated with Charma Rogantak and Dadruhara. Karnabindu is best for otorrhea.

 

Enuresis is normal with infants but a disease with grown children. Makaradhwaja with cephalandra indica is to be used. If the condition is chronic, use Brihat Purnachandra Ras.

 

Pimples, called Ajagalli in Ayurveda, look like clear mugh lentils on the skin. The patient feels nothing wrong. Brihat Dasamul Taila may be rubbed or put on the pimples.

 

Phimosis is pain and itching in the loose end-skin of the penis which has been subject to rubbing and twisting.

Paraphimosis is the rolling up of the end-skin of the penis so that it can no more cover the penis mouth.

 

Closed Penis is blocked at the mouth by the overhanging foreskin or end-skin. A piece of cloth soaked in Trisati Prasarani Taila or Madhyam Narayan Taila should be put over the whole surface of the penis, and Saribadi Salsa should be taken orally.

 

Blocked rectum is contraction of rectum during Saptaprastha Mahamas Taila, bowel movements. Madhyam Narayan Taila, or a piece of cloth soaked in Trisati Prasarani Taila should be put on the mouth of the rectum to expand it.

 

Straining during defecation sometimes makes the intestines come out through the rectum. Smear the finger with one of the oils mentioned above and push the intestines back up inside. Then soak a clean cloth with the oil and keep it in the anus for some time.