Children Fevers - sometimes accompanied by cough/cold

[Guest guest]

Dear Members,

 

A number of comments, questions and explainations have appeared on

this board regarding fevers, especially in children. Todd has

correctly explained the mechanism causing the fevers and how to

starve them naturally. While western medicine assumes fever as the

state assumed by our immune system to destroy the infections,

ayurveda wants to burn the Ama by increasing Agni, the heat. For

those with good immunity, the fevers subside by themselves if

digestive system is not loaded. Body's natural defence should be

allowed time to act.

 

While all this discussion has treated whether to feed or starve the

children, it does not address the issue what action should be taken

by mother or relative of the suffering child, especially when fever

does not get tamed by measures such as fasting, easy to digest diet

(when hunger exists), boiled water, cold soaks, etc. Due to

globalization and brain drain, a number of nuclear Indian families

reside in U.K., U.S.A., Canada, Australia. The mothers, wheteher

working or not, become overly concerned and would like to rush to

allopaths to suppress the symptoms. Mediclaim or insurance also the

reason. The common parent is not concerned much with the theories,

but wishes to know what is corrective or preventive action. The

present post is focussed on this issue from practical angle. It

should not be construed as an allopathisation of ayurveda or in words

of another member, pollution of pure ayurveda with the ideas of

allopathy. It is divided in two parts. First part is posted today.

 

The author agrees with the view that one must `Starve' or at most

take fruit juices/ Green Gram soup which supply the essential energy

to the body without burdening it with digestion and metabolism

workload. Amongst various different fevers discussed in the classical

texts, the one which stays beyond 12 days, in low speed, low

temperature, is termed `Jeerna Jwara'. This is most debilitating

fever. Due to its low temperature, children remain active during

initial days, and even detection by parents takes time. It is

characterized by following symptoms.

 

Pain in whole body, especially calf muscles,

No interest in food

Slow weakness due to no hunger and food intake

Racing of heart sometimes

Inflamation of bottom surface of hands and feet

No sweating

Headache

Cough and cold due to decreased imunity

Pain in lower chest, left or right side; long term fever causes

swelling in liver and spleen.

Blood check reveals decreased RBC, Haemoglobin levels and increased

ESR.

 

If treated with patience, the fever can heal, even if it was old.

Though oil massage is not recommended for weak, those with fevers,

the massage with very low pressure can be done with `Chandanbala

Laxadi Tailam' on whole body. A bath with warm water should follow

after the massage. This opens up the sweat gland pores, and the

glands start their natural function of throwing out sweat, an

essential process in toxin elimination. Aftre this ellimination, the

fever subsides.

 

Medicines using Herbs

If one can find Giloy creeper supported by Neem tree, he can bring

about a foot length, cut into small pieces, pound a little and let

soak whole night in about a cup of water. Grind a little during

morning, strain and drink (after mixing in 1 tsp honey) on empty

stomach, early morning. Repeat soaking during morning and drink in

the evening. This Neem nurtured Giloy, though very bitter in taste,

has proven to be an excellent pacifier of old fevers. Its action

slowly increases hunger and causes pacification of inflamation of

lower sufaces of hand and feet. Due to its appetiser properties, slow

increase in saptdhatu causes higher immunity and rasayana effect

causes increase in strength, decrease in fatigue and weakness. If

Giloy is not available, one can use `Sanshamani Vati No. 3',

especially developed for children, taking 3 Tabs 125 mg each, three

times a day, with sweetened milk. The milk, especially indian country

cow milk or goat milk is very useful in fevers in children. The long

term fever has already caused dhatu debility in children. Milk acts

to strengthen dhatus and also increases immunity.

 

Second part of this post will be released in a day or two.

 

Dr. Bhate