Symptoms That Hint Towards Different Diseases In Babies

By Dr Renita D’Souza

Baby cries and we lookout for mother because only she can feel the pain and guess the reason for crying. If the baby is hungry or just seeking attention or has got some health issues, only the mother can resolve and console. Let us try to analyse the reason of pain in babies with simple features like the nature of crying, movements of hands and limbs, facial expressions etc
Read – Ayurvedic Home remedy for baby care – A traditional method

Vedana Adhyaya of Kashyapa

Vedanadhyaya – a chapter in Kashyapa Samhita, explains about various clinical features that suggest a certain disease in the child, who cannot narrate the pain.

The term ‘Vedana’ refers to physical and mental sufferings.
The clinical features mentioned here pertains to the narration of pain in infants where the language development has not occurred completely. These features help in quick analysis of health condition in infants before the disease is fully manifested.
Read – Infant Care As Per Ayurveda: Initial 6 Months

The reference of these features is found in Kashyapa Samhitha, the ancient paediatric book.
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Headache, Earache

Features of Headache in an infant:

  • Bhrsha shirah syandayathi – child rolls the head frequently
  • Nimeelayathi chakshushi – closes the eyes frequently
  • Avakujyathi – moans
  • Arathi – child appears dull
  • Ana swapnasch – sleeplessness

Read – Your Child Does Not Eat Well? Causes, Ayurveda Solution

Features of Earache in an infant:

  • Karno sprshati – child touches the ears
  • Shiro bhramayathe bhrsham – child frequently moves the head.
  • Arathya – dullness
  • Arochaka – anorexia or child will have a feeling of disgust towards the food.
  • Aswapna – sleeplessness

Read – How To Improve Your Child’s Sleep? 16 Ayurveda Tips

Oral disease, throat pain, palsy

Features suggesting the Oral Diseases

  • Lalasravanam atyartham – excessive salivation
  • Sthana dwesha – aversion to breast milk
  • Arathi – dullness
  • Vyatha – pain
  • Pithamudgirathi sheeram – emits out the ingested milk
  • Nasa shwasi – child breath through the nose (nasal breathing)

Read – Giving Warmth To Babies With Palm, Cloths – Kashyapa Method

Features of Throat Pain and Facial palsy (Ardita)

  • Pitham udgirathi sthanyam – ejects the ingested breast milk
  • Vishtambha shleshma sevanam – the child gets constipation on taking diet increasing shleshma (kapha dosha)
  • Eshajwara – mild fever
  • Aruchi – tastelessness or aversion towards food
  • Glani – child appears tired, inactive

Read – Nocturnal Enuresis – Bed Wetting In Children: Treatment

Adhijihvika (epiglottitis)

Features of Adhijihvika (epiglottitis)

  • Lalasrava – Salivation
  • Aruchi – aversion towards food
  • Glani – tiredness, inactivity
  • Kapole svayathur vyatha – swelling and pain in cheeks
  • Mukhasya vivrtha – opening of mouth

Read – Digestion Problem In Babies: Treatment And Remedies

Galagraha, Kanta Shosha

Features of Galagraha (Throat Diseases)

  • Jwara – fever
  • Aruchi – aversion towards food
  • Mukhasrava – salivation
  • Nishtana – child take a long, deep audible breath (sigh)

Read – Playground and Toys for Children As Explained In Ayurveda

Features of Kantashotha (inflammation in throat)

  • Kandu – itching in the throat
  • Shvayathu – swelling in the throat
  • Jwara – fever
  • Aruchi – aversion towards food or loss of appetite
  • Shirorujah – headache

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Fever, diarrhea

Prodromal features of Fever

Prodromal symptoms are those features which appear before the onset of disease.

  • Muhur namayate anghani – child repeatedly flexes the body parts
  • Jrmbhate – repeatedly yawns
  • Kasate muhu – coughs frequently
  • Dhaatrimaliyate akasmath – child suddenly gets more attached to or clings to the wet nurse.
  • Stanam nathyabhinandati – the child does not like breast milk
  • Prasava – salivation
  • Ushna – body feel warm
  • Vaivarnya – discolouration
  • Lalaatasya ati tapta – forehead will be hot to touch
  • Aruchi – dislikes food or tastelessness
  • Padayo shaithyam – feet will be cold to touch

Read – Ayurveda Lifestyle and Diet For Fever – 45 Important Things To Know

Prodromal features of Diarrhoea

  • Deha vaivarnya – discolouration of body
  • Arathir mukha – dull or discontented face
  • Glani – fatigue or inactive child
  • Anidratha – sleeplessness
  • Vata karma nivrthi – obstructing the normal functions of Vata Dosha.

Read – Parinama Shoola : Definition, Types, Treatment, Medicines

Colic pain, Vomiting

Features of Shoola (Colic)

  • Stanam vyudasyathe – rejects breast milk
  • Rauti – cries aloud
  • Uthanascha avabhajyate – the child sleeps in a supine position
  • Udara sthabdhata – stiffness of abdomen
  • Shaithya – baby will have chills
  • Mukha sweda – sweat appearing in the face

Read – Dry Mouth Causes, Ayurvedic Treatment, Remedies, Tips, Diet

Prodromal features of Vomiting

  • Animitam abhikshnam cha udgarah pravartate – repeated causeless eructation
  • Nidra – sleepiness
  • Jrmbha – yawning

Dyspnea, hiccup, thirst

Features of Swasa roga (Dyspnoea)

Nishtanathyurasa atyushnam – the child who take the long, deep and hot breath from chest develops dyspnoea
Read – Shwasahara Gana – Anti Asthmatic Herbs Of Charaka

Features of Hikka (Hiccough)

Akasmanmaruthoudgara – the child will have sudden airy eructation
Read – Home Remedy For Hiccups, Ashtma And Chronic Lung Diseases

Features of Excess thirst

  • Stanam pibati chatyartham na cha trshi – the child does not get satisfied in spite of taking excess breast milk
  • Rauti – cries
  • Shushka oshta talu – the child has dry lips and palate
  • Thoye apsu – desirous for water
  • Durbala – weak

Read – Excessive Thirst – Ayurvedic Understanding And Treatment

Bloating, epilepsy, insanity

Features of Anaha (Bloating)

  • Vishaala stabdha nayana – the child will have wide open still eyes
  • Parvabheda – pain in joints
  • Arati – dullness
  • Klami – tiredness or exhaustion
  • Samrudha mutra anila vit – retention of urine, flatus and faeces

Read – Fullness Of Abdomen – Ayurvedic Approach And Treatment

Features of Apasmara (epilepsy)

  • Akasmadatahasana – sudden loud laughing produces apasmara

Features of Unmadha (insanity)

  • Pralapa – incoherent speech
  • Arati – dullness
  • Vaichitya – confused state of mind

Read – Unmada-Insanity: Ayurvedic Understanding And Management

Dysuria, diabetes

Features of Mutrakrichra (Dysuria)

  • Romaharsha – horripilation
  • Anghaharsha – body shivering
  • Mutrakale cha vedana – pain during urination
  • Dashatya oshta – bites the lips
  • Bastim sprshati panina – touches the region of urinary bladder with hand

Read – Dysuria: Causes, Remedies, Tips, Diet, Ayurvedic Treatment

Features of Prameha (Diabetes)

  • Gourava – feeling of heavyness
  • Baddhata – inactive or stillness
  • Jadya – dullness or lack of interest
  • Akasmath mutra nirgamah – sudden excretion of urine
  • Makshikakantham mutra – child’s urine is liked by flies. One can see flies surrounding the place where child urinate.
  • Mutram shwetham ghanam – child’s urine is Swetha (white or pale) and Ghana (concentrated urine)

Read – Diabetes: Ayurvedic Treatment, Remedies, Prevention Tips

Piles, Calculi

Features of Arshas (Piles)

  • Baddha pureeshatvam saraktam va krshaatmanh – the child suffering from piles will be emaciated, stools will be well-formed or with blood
  • Gudanishpeedanam – feeling of compression or pressing in the anal region
  • Kandu – itching in the anal region
  • Toda – pricking type of pain in the anal region

Read – Arshas (Hemorrhoids), Ayurvedic Types, Causes And Symptoms

Features of Ashmari (vesical calculus)

  • Sasharkarathimutratvam – child voids excess urine with gravel
  • Mutra kale cha vedana – pain during urination (dysuria)
  • Pratatam raudithi – child cries continuously
  • Kshamastam – emaciated

Read – Urinari calculi – Home Remedies, Ayurved Treatment, Diet, Recipes

Herpes, Cholera

Prodromal features of Visarpa (Herpes)

  • Raktha mandalakotpathi – the appearance of red circular skin patches
  • Trshna – thirst
  • Daha –burning sensation
  • Jwara – fever
  • Arati – dullness or discontented
  • Swadusheethopashayithvam – sweet and cold things make the child feel better

Read – Visarpa: Causes, Types, Treatment, Medicines

Features of visuchika

  • Dahahnyate angani – the burning sensation in body parts
  • Suchyante bhajyate – child feels the sensation like being pricked with needles and being broken
  • Nishtana – child groans and sighs
  • Hrdi shoolam cha vardhate – increases the pain in the cardiac region

Read – Food habits, Indigestion – Ashtanga Hrudayam Sutrasthana 8th Chapter

Eye diseases, Alasaka

Features of Alasaka

  • Shiroh na dharayati – unable to keep the head still
  • Bhidhyate – child feels a cutting type of pain
  • Jrmbhate muhu – yawns repeatedly
  • Naatyartam stanam pibati child does not suck the breast milk for long
  • Grathitam chardayatyapi – vomitus contain solid lumps
  • Vishada – depression or gloomy
  • Adhmana – tympanites (swelling of the abdomen with gas)
  • Aruchi – aversion towards food or loss of appetite

Visuchika alasakayordurjnane lakshanaoshade
It is difficult to differentiate the features (lakshana) and treatment (chikitsa) of visuchika and alasaka
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Features of Eye diseases

  • Drshti vyakulata – eye strain
  • Toda – pricking pain in eyes
  • Shota – inflammation of eyes
  • Shoola – pain in eyes
  • Ashra – excessive lacrimation
  • Raktata – redness of eyes
  • Suptasya chopalipyante chakshusi –   eyelids are smeared and sticky during sleep.

Read – Eye Diseases Causes, Pathogenesis, Symptoms, Treatment, Herbs

Itching

Features of dry and wet itching

Dry itching –

  • Gharshatyangani shayane – child rubs the body during sleep, the child appears restless and tossing over the bed
  • Rauditi – child weeps
  • Echati mardanam – likes rubbing

Read – Itching And Pruritus: Ayurvedic Understanding

Wet itching –

  • Sukhayate mrdyamanam – child feels pleasure in rubbing
  • Mrdyamanam cha shuyate – rubbing causes swelling
  • Shunam sravati – after swelling, discharges occur
  • Shoola – pain
  • Daha – burning sensation

Ama disease, Pandu

Prodromal features of Ama disorders

  • Staimitya – stiffness of the body
  • Aruchi – aversion towards food or loss of appetite
  • Nidra – excessive sleep
  • Gatra pandukata – pale complexion
  • Arati – dullness, fatigue
  • Ramana ashana shayadeen dhaatrim cha dweshti nithyasha – constant aversion towards playing, food, sleep and foster mother
  • Asnaata snatharupashcha snathascha asnaatadarshana -child appears bathed when unbathed and unbathed when bathed

Read – Qualities And Symptoms Of Ama – Ama Guna Lakshana

Features of Pandu (Anemia)

  • Nabhyam samantata shota – swelling around the umbilicus
  • Swetha akshi – pallor conjunctiva
  • Nakha vakrata – nail deformity
  • Agnisada – loss of appetite, reduced digestive strength
  • Shvayathuscha akshi kuutayo – swelling around the eyes
  • Niruthsaah – discontentment or dullness
  • Nasta agni – loss of digestive capacity
  • Rudira sprha – longing for blood

Read – Pandu Roga: Causes, Pathophysiology, Symptoms, Treatment

Jaundice, Madatyay

Features of Kamala (Jaundice)

  • Peeta chakshurnakha mukha vin mutra – yellowish discolouration of eyes, nails, face, faeces and urine
  • Niruthsaah – discontentment or dullness
  • Nasta agni – loss of digestive capacity
  • Rudira sprha – longing for blood

Read – Jaundice With Alcoholic Liver Disease – A Clinical Case Presentation

Features of Madhataya (Alcoholic intoxication)

  • Murcha – state of unconsciousness
  • Prajagara – sleeplessness
  • Chardi – vomiting
  • Dhaatri dwesha – aversion towards foster mother
  • Arati – dullness
  • Bhrama – dizziness
  • Vitrasa – fear
  • Udvega – excitement
  • Trishna – thirst

Rhinitis, chest injury, insect bite

Features of Pinasa (Rhinitis) and Uroghata (injury to chest wall)

  • Muhur mukhena uchvasiti peetva stanam – child repeatedly takes mouth breathing while sucking breast.
  • Sravato nasike – running nose
  • Lalatam chabhitapyate – forehead will be warm to touch
  • Strotamsyabhikshnam sprshati – child frequently touches orifices
  • Shautha – sneezing
  • Kasa – cough

Read – Allergic Rhinitis: Causes, Remedies, Ayurvedic treatment, Herbs

Features of Insect bite

  • A healthy child does not sleep well at night
  • Raktha binduchitangascha – red spots appear over the body

Click to Consult Dr Renita D’Souza

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