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haritaki/karakkaya/Kadukkai for 2 month baby

Discussion in 'Infants' started by Sri09, Dec 20, 2008.

  1. Sri09

    Sri09 Senior IL'ite

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    My daughter has cold. My neighbour (babysitting lady) gave my daughter this haritaki/kadukkai/karakkaya juice 1 drop to reduce the symptoms. This happened without my notice. When I found the dropper and bottle next to my baby, I asked her. She said she gives to all the babies and generally all families in India give it. I dont know much of these home remedies. Now my baby has cough (some sound in the throat) but no fever. She needs to get vaccination this monday. This lady says if she gives that juice one drop again it disappears. I said no and I told her dont give my daughter anything without my notice. I am confused as other mothers here who has babies support this.

    Can we give that haritaki juice to 2 month baby? What happens if we give? What to do then?

    Does doctors give vaccination when baby has cold/cough without fever?
     
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  2. AbhiSing

    AbhiSing Gold IL'ite

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    Hi Sri09

    Please do not panic. I am a medically trained Siddha doctor and I can assure you that it is a common practice in many Indian households to give the herbal home remedies--like kadukkai, massikkai, thanrikkai and vasambu after the baby is 1 month old. They rub the above mentioned herbs and mix with breast milk to make a paste and put it in the tongue of the baby to improve the digestion, immunity and to prevent any flattulence in alternative days or after giving oil bath to the baby. It is one of the 3 herbs in Triphala/Thiribala, the other 2 being nellikai (Amlaki ) and Thanrikkai (Biphitaki).

    It is a best astringent and also a tonic to the body. It is one of the regular ingredients in siddha/Ayurvedic drug remedies given for dry cough and cold like Thalisaathi chooranam/chooran, Thribala chooran etc.
    You also can give one more drop of the kadukkai...if needed before vaccination.

    However, being a mother, if I were you, I would keep a close eye on the babysitter and put my foot down to make sure that she doesnt give anything to the baby (even out of goodwill) without my knowledge, in future.

    2. To your second question, no they do not vaccinate the baby when she has fever/severe cough. But the throat noises you mention need not to be phlegm. It may be due to the feeding posture maintained and the baby gurgling the milk. If you bring her to the paediatrician, he will use his stethoscope to see if her lungs are clear and then will decide whether to proceed with the vaccination.

    Hope my answer helps you. Happy Parenting!


     
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  3. Aadhusmom

    Aadhusmom Gold IL'ite

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    Sri,
    I have a different point of view on this - I wouldnt give any home-remedy to a 2 mnth old. But then I also dont like giving allopathic drugs unless absolutely required. Its an individual thing. But I completely agree with Vijee on one thing - please make it a very very strict rule with your babysitter that the baby DOES NOT get ANYTHING without your consent - cant stress enough on how important this is.

    Vanathi.
     
  4. Sri09

    Sri09 Senior IL'ite

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    Thank you Vanathi and Abhising

    I have an appointment for baby after two days. If she has cough/fever, then she doesnt get vaccinated. Right now I see and her temperature underarm is 98.1 (add one degree which is 99.1 ?)

    In that case, how many days can we postpone vaccination maximum after 2 month date?
     
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2008
  5. Lavanya

    Lavanya Bronze IL'ite

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    I hope your baby is feeling better. May be, Vanathi can explain more about the life threatening side effects of vasambu when consumed. Always be aware of what goes into your baby - NEVER give anything unless you know absolutely that it is essential for survival. Also with regard to vaccination, docs will vaccinate the babies if they have a mild temp, runny nose, sore throat, cough, etc. If docs wait until all babies are perfectly healthy to vaccinate then no one will ever get all the vaccines.

    -L.
     
  6. AbhiSing

    AbhiSing Gold IL'ite

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    Hi lavanya

    I beg to differ. Sri09 has asked about the consumption of a drop of Kadukkai and I have given the medicinal properties, and you can see from all the ayurvedic/siddha medical journals which has evidence that it is beneficial when given in the recommended dosage.
    Please go through Links - Health & Family Welfare Department, Govt. of Tamil Nadu the link, by the Health and family Welfare Department of Government TamilNadu , to know about the medicinal properties of Kadukkai/Haritakki/Karakkaya/ Terminalia Chebula. I still have so many literatures for evidence if you would like.

    And I strongly contest your reply about "life threatening side effects of vasambu when consumed". If you are from India, then you will know that vasambu is given to prevent vomiting in babies. Please go through the above link again. Also The vasambu pieces are tied and put as bracelets in babies, because the smell of vasambu itself will prevent vomiting and nausea. But be cautious about the dosage of Consumption.
    I very much value your feedback for Sri09's query but I request you to verify facts before giving statements like this, that would threaten a mother with newborn baby. (And my point here is her query is NOT about Vasambu---It is about Kadukkai).

    The following links , I bring to your kind attention.
    Haritaki Harad Terminalia chebula Rasayana Ayurveda Ayurvedic diet Ayurvedic Herbs
    http://www.keralaayurvedics.com/herbs-plants/haritaki-–-ayurvedic-medicinal-herbs.html


    Also Please refer:
    Dr. Murugesa Muthaliar, Siddha Materia Medica, Fourth edition 1988, Publisher; Tamilnadu Siddha Medical Council, Chennai.
    Kuppusamy Muthaliar, Uthamarayan, Siddha vaithiya thirattu, 1998, Publisher: Directorate of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy, Chennai, India.
    Indian Medicinal Plants, 2003, Orient Longman, Chennai
    Pharmacopeia of Hospital of Indian Medicine, Part II Siddha,Compiled by Dr. C.S.Utthamarayon, 1995, Chennai
    Formulary of Siddha medicines, published by the Indian Medical Practitioners' Cooperative Pharmacy and Stores Ltd., Adyar, Madras; ed. 1989.

    Hope the above helps.
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2008
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  7. Lavanya

    Lavanya Bronze IL'ite

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    Sorry AbhiSing for not seeing eye to eye with you. But I still stand by what I said - Vasambu can cause ileal paralysis. One cannot advocate consumption of anything over such media as internet especially when the receiver can misconstrue the directions, amount, etc and thus causing unknown results. So my suggestions to anyone is don't use drugs unless you know its absolutely essential and unless you know exactly how to use it.

    -L.
     
  8. AbhiSing

    AbhiSing Gold IL'ite

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    Hi Lavanya

    Glad that you want to see me eye to eye!
    If you read my first reply and the reply to yours clearly again...you will understand that I am NOT advocating any consumption and the caution about dosage. If any word in my replies give an implication that I voluntarily asked anybody to consume any herbs, I apologise, that is not my intention.

    I dont know much of these home remedies. Now my baby has cough (some sound in the throat) but no fever. She needs to get vaccination this monday. This lady says if she gives that juice one drop again it disappears. I said no and I told her dont give my daughter anything without my notice. I am confused as other mothers here who has babies support this.

    As a mother I told her my views on this.

    Can we give that haritaki juice to 2 month baby? What happens if we give? What to do then?

    And again as a mother, as a Siddha Medical Practitioner and as a fellow ILite, I answered her with my views. And in my reply to your post I have given evidences to support my claims.

    I appreciate that you are strong by your stand and I am stronger in mine. And I welcome further debates in this matter, with facts and evidences which will be enlightening to me!

    When we post a query or reply in any media, we should always be ready for backlashes and differences of opinion and should not expect others to agree with our views . This is what I tell myself always.
     
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2008
  9. ashark

    ashark New IL'ite

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    Hi AbiSing & Lavanya,
    In India we have this tradition (mostly in TamilNadu, but I heard other native people also follow this to some degree) since immemorial times (as per my grandma & great grandma, and the cultural tradition) that newborns are given a very very small dose of paste which consists of burnt vasumbu (burnt in a oil lamp after smearing a little bit of castor oil), kadukkai, thippili, etc. The paste is made in a clay agal (lamp) with a little bit of breast milk, and the herbs are ground around the agal just once or twice! (very miniscule dose of the herb). At my home ( & my relatives, as well) the kids get this every alternate days until they are 1yr old, & longer sometimes. This is basically done to keep them healthy and safe from stomach ailments (colic, gas), cold, have good appetite, & immunity, etc. This has been done for generations, as per ayurvedic & siddha home rituals for infants.
    Ofcourse, you have to get the supervision of an experienced elder when doing this on your own, especially if you have no experience.

    Asha

     

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