Bala Veda: Pediatrics and Ayurveda

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From the Jacket

This book gives the basic principles of Ayurveda in short. Bala-veda mentions how the couple should plan for better progeny. The planning starts before the marriage by selection of appropriate life partner. It gives guidelines for the regimen to be followed by the couple and particularly the wife during menstrual period of life, intercourse, pregnancy and delivery. It gives conditions of foetal malnutrition and how to correct them.

Balaveda gives guidelines for care of the newborn and mother after delivery. It explains as to how the various factors like diet. Activity and psychological conditions of mother affect and vitiate her breast milk which in turn gives rise to various ailments in breast fed babies. It also tells that in these conditions one should give the medicines to mother and advise her appropriate diet so that her milk becomes normal and the baby’s symptoms disappear. Balaveda gives the qualities of milk of cow, buffalo, goat etc. which can be used as alternative to breast milk.

Balaveda describes various diseases associated with dentition. It also gives guidelines for inculcating good habits and manners in children..

The book describes in short the peculiar diseases which affect children and mentions their treatment. It gives principles of treatment in children e.g. how to modify the dose of drugs in children and what medicines and procedures should be avoided in children.

Dr. V. B. Athavale M.B.B.S., D.C.H., M.D.(Paed), M.A.M.S., F.A.M.S., and Vaidyacharya is a renowned Paediatrician, and a prolific author who has several noteworthy achievements to his credit. He did his M.B.B.S. from Grant Medical College and Sir J.J. Group of Hospitals, both in Mumbai, stood first in D.C.H.(C.P.S.) 1956, and completed M.D.(Paed.) in 1958.

He was offered the UNICEF Fellowship in 1965, when his paper was read during the International Paediatric Conference held at Tokyo. He was also chairman of the workshop on ‘Herbal Medicines for Health for the developing Countries’, which was held at Bangkok in the year 1981.

Dr. Athavale worked as an Honorary Professor and Head of the Department of Paediatrics, L.T.M.G. Hospital, Sion, Mumbai during 1970 to 1990 and was recognized for his various accomplishments for which he has been bestowed with honours and awards, both National and International.

V. B. Athavale Research Foundation has been founded as a mark of respect and gratitude to Dr. Athavale when he retired after 30 years of selfless service as Hon. Professor and Head of the Department of Paediatrics, L.T.M. Medical College and L.T.M.G. Hospital, Mumbai.

Dr. K.V. Athavale is the son of Dr. V.B. Athavale and a practicing physician in Mumbai. He is presently assisting his father in writing books.

Preface

Ayurveda, the Indian System of Medicine, literally means knowledge of life. It includes art of living, science of health and philosophy of life. Though more than 5,000 years old, it is by no means an outdated science. Even today, people of India think and live according to the principles of Ayurveda.

Pediatrics is one of the eight specialities recognized by Ayurveda. Kasyapa Samhita, is the Ayurvedic text book of Pediatrics. The goal of pediatrics is to see that every child grows and develops into a healthy, happy and useful citizen. Ayurveda insists that the birth of every baby should be well planned and should not occur as a matter of chance. The pediatrician should guide both the parents about their diet, activity and daily regime before conception, advise the mother during pregnancy and the child as well as both the parents till the child is of sixteen years. Obstetrics and gynecology constitute part of pediatrics, as the birth of a healthy baby is the main aim of obstetrics and gynecology. Birth is only an event, in the life of a child. Much more emphasis is laid on the development of a healthy and strong mind so that the child is trained to withstand all the stresses and strains of life with a smiling face.

Apart from medicines, many more aspects and principles of life can be learnt from this Great Science. I consider myself extremely fortunate, to be ale to present the main aspects of pediatrics in Ayurveda in the form of Bala-Veda, i.e. science of child life.