Abstract

NUTRITIONAL DISORDERS IN CHILDREN: AN AYURVEDIC OVERVIEW

Dr. Deepshikha* and Dr. Amit Kumar Rai

Abstract

Nutrition has always been a basic necessity of mankind and diseases resulting from its inadequacy or overuse have existed even before the dawn of modern science. Ayurveda which is the ancient system of medicine of India has described these diseases with their etiology and treatment. This article reviews the ancient wisdom about nutritional disorders in children and also critically analyses it in light of contemporary science and evidences. The materials were collected from the classical Ayurvedic literatures, pediatric textbooks, magazines and research journals. It is found that the etiology and features described under Karshya, Bal Shosha, Phakka, and Parigarbhika (nutritional disorders described in ayurveda) find close resemblance to protein energy malnutrition. The treatment described in classics is relevant with a scope of clinical and laboratory research on them.

Keywords: Nutritional disorders in ayurveda, Karshya, Bal Shosha, Phakka, Parigarbhika.