SCOPE, INNOVATION AND CHALLENGES IN KUMAR KAUSHAL (CHILD WELLBEING)

Abstract

Starting with eight specialties in various medical fields Ayurveda evolved in current form having fourteen specialties in a relatively short span of about four and a half decades. Kaumarbhritya, one of the eight ancient specialties, was intended for promoting health of pregnant women to enable them to have healthy progeny, meet nutritional demands of all age groups of children, prevention of pediatric disorders, their treatment and make the enable children to grow into healthy adults, which would result into healthy continuity of human life form. Realizing the importance of genetics, epigenetics, teratology, embryology, neonatology and distinct illnesses of children of various age groups the Central Council of Indian Medicine (the present NCISM) to develop the field of kaumarbhritya into two separate specialties. This resulted in bifurcation of original specialty of kaumarbhritya in two different full-fledged specialties viz pediatrics, and gynecology and obstetrics fulfilling the expectation of the society for the health benefits of two concerned groups of population and in turn justifying the demand of ayurvedic professional. First batch of MD (Ayu) course exclusively in pediatrics started in 1979 in IPGT&R, Jamnagar and first batch coming out with specialization in ayurvedic pediatrics in 1981. The visionary ancient ayurvedic researchers’ health goals to enable healthy and successful reproduction, prevention of genetic and/or hereditary disorders, treating health conditions of children from various age groups with prevention strategies and maintenance their health are now the responsibilities of these two kinds of specialists. Since then there is no looking back for the ayurvedic pediatricians. It would not be a surprise if genetics, epigenetics and teratology also become full-fledged branches of ayurvedic pediatrics in future. It is now more than four decades since separation of ayurvedic pediatrics and it would be apt to discuss the scope, innovation and challenges that this specialty faces when this exclusive issue on ayurvedic pediatrics is getting published.