Children are the assets who play an important role in the development of a country. Starting phase of their life is the most crucial period as it is the base of their physical, mental and behavioral development. According to Indian demographic profile 26.98% of the population is of children between 0-14 years. India is having high mortality rate of children less than 5 years of age. Most of the death in the Balyavastha occurs due to the Aptarpanjanya Vyadhi (malnutrition). According to the WHO, worldwide the leading causes of death among children under five years of age are acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, congenital anomalies, infectious diseases etc. Ayurveda has described many Balaroga and their Chikitsa under the Kaumarbhritya branch

Chavan, Ajay

Chavan, Dipti Ajay

English

Himalayan Journal of Health Sciences (HJHS)

Ajay et.al                                                      Himalayan Journal of Health Sciences                                       ISSN: 2582 - 0737 © 2020 HJHS Journal                                                                 2020; 5(3) Page 24 Demographical & Geographical Prevalence of Balaroga and Their Preventive Approaches as per Ayurveda Available online at www.hjhs.co.in REVIEW ARTICLE Ajay Chavan*,a, Dipti Ajay Chavanb *, aAssociate Professor, Department of Kaumarbhritya, MES Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Ghanekhunt, Lote, Taluka – Khed, District – Ratnagiri (Maharashtra) India. bAssistant Professor, Department of Prasuti Tantra and Streeroga, MES Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Ghanekhunt, Lote, Taluka – Khed, District – Ratnagiri (Maharashtra) India. DOI 10.22270/hjhs.v5i3.75   1. Introduction Ayurveda considers each and every aspect of life as the important one. Thus Balyavastha and Bala Roga have given an important place in the Ayurveda in its branch called as Kaumarbhritya. Many Ayurvedic scholars have mentioned in detail about the neonatal care and Balyavastha in literatures like Arogyakalpadrumam. In these literatures they have mentioned in details about the Bala Chikitsa by keeping Ahara, Vihara, Yoga & Pranayam as the centre of focus. Diseases occurring in childhood are mostly congenital or due to change in way of living such as Viruddh Ahara, lack of sleep & lack of exercise, etc. In 2011 census, three percent drop is seen in children (below six years of age) population as compared to census 2001. In Global Hunger Index 2019, India is at 102nd place in the list. It is placed below other south Asian countries like Nepal, Srilanka and Pakistan. According to this report India is facing a hunger crisis and only 9.6% of all children between 6-23 months of age are able to receive minimum acceptable diet. The malnutrition & poor hygienic, etc. are some factors which make children susceptible towards the various diseases; Figure 1 represents prevalence of such diseases and their mortality percentage in children below 5 years of age. (1,2) 2. Some common diseases in children According to the Global Burden of Disease Study (1990-2017), out of 1.04 million deaths in 2017 in India, over 7 lacks can be attributed to Aptarpanjanya Vyadhi (malnutrition). It is the reason for around 68% of death of children under five years of age. Disease burden is higher for the states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh & Bihar, etc.  Phakka Roga  It is a Kuposhanjanya Vyadhi which is occurring due to improper formation of Meda, Rasa, Astidhatu and Mamsa. It can be related to Rickets disease. Different Nidana factors like Agni Dosha, vitamin deficiency, Garbhini Dosha etc; affect the digestion and absorption processes which results in deficiency of nutrients in body. Different symptoms of Phakka roga are Peetakshi; loss of Uru, Bahu, Manda Chestha, dullness, weakness, excessive ABSTRACT Children are the assets who play an important role in the development of a country. Starting phase of their life is the most crucial period as it is the base of their physical, mental and behavioral development. According to Indian demographic profile 26.98% of the population is of children between 0-14 years. India is having high mortality rate of children less than 5 years of age. Most of the death in the Balyavastha occurs due to the Aptarpanjanya Vyadhi (malnutrition). According to the WHO, worldwide the leading causes of death among children under five years of age are acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, congenital anomalies, infectious diseases etc. Ayurveda has described many Balaroga and their Chikitsa under the Kaumarbhritya branch. Keywords: Ayurveda, Balaroga, Aahara, Malnutrition Ajay et.al                                                      Himalayan Journal of Health Sciences                                       ISSN: 2582 - 0737 © 2020 HJHS Journal                                                                 2020; 5(3) Page 25 growth of abdomen and Asthikshaya Lakshana.  Figure 1. Disease prevalence and mortality in children (below 5 years of age) Management of Phakka roga is done by balancing the vitiated Kapha and Vata Doshas along with proper Ahara. Improvement in Agni is done by various therapies like Shodhana, Deepana and Pachana. If the disease is at Balaka stage, it is advised to take Amruta ghrita, Shatapala Ghrita, Raja Taila orally followed by Virechana. Numbers of cases reported for Phakka roga are increasing in India due to less exposure of sunlight & malnutrition. If the disease is not treated with time, it can lead to Asthi Vakrataa in children and Asthi Vakrataa in Adults. Diarrhea Diarrhea is the leading cause of death among children under the age of five years. It account for 1 in 9 child deaths worldwide. Approximately, two million deaths each year occurs due to diarrheal diseases. In Ayurveda, it is mentioned as Atisara which indicates passing of watery stool through anus. Most of the time, it occurs due to the invasion of Krimi (microbe) into the body. It is reported mostly in the countries like India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, African countries. Unavailability of clean water, unhygienic conditions, poor sanitation, and malnutrition are the main causes of the diarrhea.  Ayurveda suggested various approaches for treating Atisara such as; Sama and Nirama Avastha of the Doshas are looked first. Drugs having property like Pachana, Langhana, Deepana, etc. are used. Some compound formulations like Balchaturbhadra Churna (combination of Mustha, Pippali, Ativisha and Karksatsringi), Dhanya Pachak Kwatha (combination of Netrabala, Bilva, Mustaka, Dhanyaka, Shunthi), Samangadi Kwatha can be used. There are many single drugs available in the Ayurveda for the treatment of such as Atisara like; Bhanga, Jatiphala, Bilva, Patha, Pippali etc.  Measles It is a Sankramak Roga caused by the virus of Paramyxovirus family. According to WHO, around 140,000 people died due to Measles and mostly are the children below five years of age. It has resulted into Janapadodhwamsa in the past century. It spreads through various means such as Nihsvasat (expired air), Sahabhojnata (sharing food), Gatrasansparsat (through physical contact) etc. In Ayurveda, measles is mentioned with the mane of Romantika, i.e. disease of the pores of skin. It is an Agantuja Vyadhi caused by vitiated Pitta and Kapha Dosha. It is a disease 18% 11% 7% 1% 2% 0% 35% 26% Pneumonia Diarrhea Malaria MeaslesMeningitis Other Neonatal cause OthersAjay et.al                                                      Himalayan Journal of Health Sciences                                       ISSN: 2582 - 0737 © 2020 HJHS Journal                                                                 2020; 5(3) Page 26 which occurs due to Dosha prakopa, Strotavaigunya and Dosha vriddhi. All this leads to Dhatu avarana and Dhatu Kshaya. Its incubation period varies from 7-14 days. Symptoms of measles are Jwara, cold, cough, headache, pinkish or reddish rashes on the body, weakness and irritation.  Some herbs are mentioned in Ayurveda for treating Measles such as Ginger, Sandal, Neem, Lemon, Saffron, Clove etc. Neem is considered to have anti-viral properties and can prevent the spread from one person to another. Clove oil can work as an analgesic. Ayurveda also mentioned emesis & purgation therapies for treatment. Malaria It is a leading cause of death among young children globally. Nearly forty percent of world’s countries are exposed to the Malaria. More than eighty percent of death occurs in the African regions from malaria only. Children below five years of age and pregnant women are the most susceptible group for the infection. Plasmodium falciparum is considered as the leading cause behind the spread of Malaria in the African countries. It is responsible for around twenty-four percent of death in African region. Ayurveda considered Malaria as a Vishama Jawara. This has sudden, irregular onset and action. It involves various Dhatus such as Mamsa (muscles), Meda (fat), Rasa (nutrient rich fluid), Rakta (blood), Asthi (bone), Majja (bone marrow) and Shukra (reproductive cells). It can be considered similar as Santata (fever for seven days or more), Anyedyu Jwara (remission period within 24 hours) and Tritiyaka Jwara. Alongwith Jwara various symptoms such as nausea, loss of appetite, rashes, vomiting, body ache, high temperature, profuse sweating, thirst, fainting and confusion etc. are also reported. (3) In Ayurveda, drugs like Indrayava seeds, Patola leaves, Katurohini, Nimba, Triphala, Guduci & Amalaki etc. are prescribed for the treatment of Ayurveda in various combinations. All these plants are used according to their properties such as Kshaya (astringent taste), Tikta rasa (bitter taste) & Pitta shamaka (balances Pitta) etc. Ayurvedic texts have mentioned various preventive measures also such as fumigation of Nimba, Haritaki, Kustha; formulations like Ashtang Dhupa & Guggalvadi Dhupa etc.  Respiratory diseases Around nine million children (under five years of age) die annually worldwide due to respiratory diseases, Pneumonia being the leading killer. Some other diseases like asthma, acute lower respiratory infections are also affecting children badly. Pneumonia results in death of nearly 1.4 million children under the age of five. It is most prevalent in Africa and south Asian countries. In Ayurveda, respiratory diseases are considered as Swasa Roga affecting the Pranavaha Srotas. They are caused by the vitiated Kapha-Vata and their accumulation in the respiratory tract. Etiological factors can be Aharaja hetu (Viruddh Ahara), Viharaja Hetu (regimen) etc. Herbs used for the treatment are Brahmi, Haridra, Dugdhika, Vasa, Tulsi, Pippali, and Shatavari. Tamaka-Shwas (Asthma) is a common chronic disease affecting young children. It causes difficulty in breathing, tightness in chest, wheeze, cough and abnormal breathing. Various treatment modalities are mentioned in Ayurveda for treatment of Asthma in children such as Mridu Shodhana therapy can be done in children below ten years of age and above it Virechana therapy can be done. Some medicines used for treating Asthma are Sitopaladi Churna, Balchaturbhadra churna, Swaskuthar Rasa, Khadiradi Vati, Dashmula Kwath, Nayopayam Kwath & Agastya Rasayan etc. One should avoid fast food, fish, cold food, preservatives, and exposure to chemicals, allergens, dust and smoke. (4-7) 3. Conclusion Socio-economic status, lack of antenatal, postnatal care, lack of nutritious food, lack of financial support, medical facilities; unhygienic conditions results in the increased prevalence and incidence of diseases. Malnourished, obese children; are at higher risk of dying from infectious diseases, and their complications. In Ayurveda, to treat malnutrition Brihanachikitsa is prescribed. Ayurvedic therapies improve the appetite, Ajay et.al                                                      Himalayan Journal of Health Sciences                                       ISSN: 2582 - 0737 © 2020 HJHS Journal                                                                 2020; 5(3) Page 27 balance the vitiated Doshas, and improve digestion, Agni, increases immunity. Ayurveda tries to improve overall health of not only children but also of mother. In every country governments are trying to bring down the mortality and morbidity rates of children and pregnant mothers. Acknowledgements I would like to express my gratitude to Himalayan Journal of Health Sciences who gave me the opportunity to publish the article. Financial Disclosure statement: The author received no specific funding for this work. Conflict of Interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article. References 1. Tewari. P.V. Kasyapa samhita. Edition 1996. Chikitsa Sthana. Phakka rog chikitsa. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Bharati Academy; 1996 2. Tripathi B. Charaka Samhita Sutra 7 thedition. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Surbharti Prakashan.  3. Mitra S.K., Rangesh P.R., Venkataranganna M.V., Udupa U.V, Gopumadhavan S., Seshadri S.J. Bone mineralization by OST herbomineral preparation, in experimentally induced rickets in rats, Phytomedicine. 2000; 7(4): 265. 4. Girish k. and Shankara S. B Neem-A GreenTreasure Electronic Journal of Biology. 2008; 4(3). 5. Bhinde S.RASAYANA: A better Alternative for Disease Prevention .Journal of Ayurveda and Holistic Medicine. 2013; Vol (1). 6. Parthsarthy A, editor-in-chief I A P Color Atlas of Pediatrics, chap. 16th. edition 1st. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers; 2012. 7. Bhat SR (Ed.). Achar’s Text Book of Pediatrics. 4th Edn. Developmental Pediatrics. Universities Press; 2009.   

Demographical & Geographical Prevalence of Balaroga and Their Preventive Approaches as per Ayurveda

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Demographical & Geographical Prevalence of Balaroga and Their Preventive Approaches as per Ayurveda

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