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

Table of Contents

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)

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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

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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)

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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
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Features of Hikka (Hiccough)

Akasmanmaruthoudgara – the child will have sudden airy eructation
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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