Abstract

Introduction: Lehana is the unique and sole contribution of Ayurveda in the field of child health care. care.It has been mentioned that the health and wellness of a child depend on Lehana. A review of indications of lehana refers to it as a supplementary feed for proper growth and development of a child, and it also provides resistance to various diseases. Modern medical science has achieved much success in the improvement of childhood undernutrition, and vaccination has led to protection from most of the dreaded childhood infections and ultimately improved the area of child health care. Recurrent illness and poor growth and development are the two most important health issues related to children. But despite much advancement in the medical field, these two areas pose the greatest challenge to child health care to date. Use of or practice of Lehana in children may help in combating both of these challenges. Kashyapa, the renowned scholar of Kaumarabhritya (child health care), has beautifully documented the efficacy and use of lehana in pediatric practice, but due to lack of evidence, the knowledge remained unused. Kashyapa states that the child after birth should be given lehana regularly for his/her optimum growth and development as well as protection from disease.

Materials and methods: Classical texts of Ayurveda along with various articles and research papers published in journals are reviewed for the present review.

Result and discussion: Present paper reveals that practice of lehana in children is very important and is the need of the present era for disease free and optimum and growth and development in children.