An ayurvedic approach to treat the mentally challenged children: A Review literature

Abstract

Developmental disabilities involve physiological and genetic components in children but etiology of some these disorders in children are unknown. Learning disorders, communication skill disorders, pervasive developmental disorders, ADHD etc. comes under these categories. The management of mentally challenged children need special attention. Ayurveda the parental origin of all the pathies has got different approaches towards diseases from both corners preventive as well as curative. A number of pediatric problems are there which are still incurable and some of them make children mentally handicapped. Ayurveda is a system of traditional Indian therapies that includes herbs, yoga, panchakarma and use of various traditional formulation like; Medhya Rasayanas which are helpful in enhancing cognition, intellect, attention span. Parents have to face several hardships for bringing up of special children or mentally challenged children. Parents use different ways to raise such children so that they may live an independent life or can become self-sufficient. Majority of parents of mentally challenged children have some form of frustration, guilt or emotional disturbance due to the limited abilities of their child to carry out a social life. Sometimes it may lead to parental rejection due to some form of the social stigma attached to such conditions. Acceptance of subaverage of their child by parents and their consistent and concern behavior for management of such child plays an important role to improve the outcome of treatment. Ayurveda enhances mental ability, perception, and behavior through natural techniques, etc. Ayurvedic classics described that mentally challenged children have hypofunction of Dhee, Dhriti, and smriti. Lehana Kalpana as described by Aacharya Kashyapa has a major role in treating mentally subnormal children. Medhya Rasayanas and Medhya yogas described in Ayurvedic classics improve the intelligence and memory, also it increases the efficacy of Manovaha Srotas. This paper shares some Ayurvedic approaches of treating mentally challenged children.