In this post, we will focus on pediatric ayurved. It’s also known as kaumarbhritya.
First we should know to whom we called as kumar/ balak / child , ayurved explain that from age 0 yrs to age of 16 yrs is called as kumar.
1. Garbha avastha means pregnancy period from the day of conception to delivery.
2. Balya avastha represents from delivery to the age of 1 year. It is also called kshirap avasta that means baby’s food is milk only (feeding age).
3. Kumar avastha is considered from age of 1 year to 16 years.
a) In this period 1 to 2 yrs age is considered as 'Kshirannad', means baby starts eating few things along with milk.
b) 2 yrs to 16 yrs called as 'Annad' means baby’s main diet is cooked food like the adults.
Acharya kashyap who is the specialist in that era, he explained several things related to baby like:
- Diseases & its special symptoms in baby treatment.
- Diseases related to breast milk.
- Alternative milk source to baby like goat milk, cow milk & details how to use it.
- 16 Different sanskar / rituals like naming ceremony, wedding etc.
- Specialty vedana adhyay means how to diagnose disease according to baby’s action or pain.
- Lehan means semisolid form of medicines which is convenient for baby like honey.
- He explained different diseases when teeth expression dentition is on process.
- Epidemic diseases like flu & others.