Developmental disorders in Children and its general & Homeopathic Management
When a baby is born the first question asked by everyone is whether the baby looks like a father, mother or grandparents?? Here we can see the importance of surpassing of Gene to the newborn. Hence, we can perceive disorders also can pass on to the next generation. Let’s start the prevention from that moment itself to have a healthy baby. Influencing Persons are Father (during spermatogenesis period), during conception, Mother (during whole 9moths of the gestational period). Sex is determined by father & Hereditary factors such as Physiological and Psychological traits are fixed. Parents’ unfavorable conditions can stunt their development. Greater development is happening during this period than any other time in a life period. Attitude towards baby i.e.; even the thought of abortion influences baby. The negative ambience creates havoc in mother’s homeostasis. Hence it’s utmost important to have a happy family to have a happy child.
Hazards in babyhood and its management
Excessive crying- Can later act as a causative factor for gastrointestinal disturbances, regurgitation of food, night waking, general nervous tension, psychological insecurity, affects the relationship with parents which at last ends up affecting in development of personality. Can minimize the severity by having a certain change of response pattern in parents For e.g. While admitting kids in daycares, better to stay with them the initial 3 or 5 days; hence can lessen the feeling of sudden panic in midst of strangers.
Illness – If simple fever makes them take rest at home as abstinence from school is good for them as well as other kids. Initially treat them with home remedies like panikurkila water etc. If not controlled or severe, give them Homeopathic drugs which are absolutely free of side effects. Even recurrence can be prevented with Homeopathic Medicines. Many daycares kids are not getting washed in genital areas after micturition or flush toilet after each kid; telling excuses such as it is needed only after defecation or its difficult to do for every kid. In fact, one of the prime cause for fever is urinary tract infection. So careful hygiene in and around can prevent illness.
Accidents – Can be prevented by removing dangerous substances from reachable limit or by giving importance even to minute things such as keeping bed cover underarms while covering during sleeping as otherwise there is a chance of obstruction of the nose by falling bed cover over the nose when baby change position of hands while turning around in bed.
Malnutrition – can lead to kwashiorkor and marasmus. Malnutrition affects the brain as the first 2 years are considered to be the critical period in the growth of brain cells hence make sure baby is well nourished.
Obesity – Advertisement babies indirectly instilled an Eager to have chubby babies; such misconception leads to overfeeding later pave the way to obese kids. And also Bottle-fed babies are overfed than breastfed babies. A number of fat cells of the body are established in early life for up to 3 years. If overfed they will have an obesity problem in rest years of life leading a proneness to lifestyle diseases obesity, heart disease, diabetes etc.
Physical habits – Sleeping, Eating, Defecation
Sleeping – Initially baby may require every 3-hour feeding so there won’t be continuous sleep as months pass on, the baby starts to sleep for long hours such as 10 to 15 hours. Try to avoid bedroom lamp as happy hormones such as melatonin and serotonin secrete in pitch darkness only. Instead of lamp give them a secure feeling of your presence.
Eating –Tradition trailed by your forefathers or living according to the habitat in that particular area helps us to have healthy habits many times. Nowadays all are giving exclusive milk in the first 6 months. Personally, I feel baby should get water along with breast milk till 6 months and continued also. Rationale: Does our thirst goes with drinking milk instead of water? 6 months can be considered as a waiting time for eruption of teeth and to get intestine capable of digesting adult food. Water can be digested within minutes hence please give your kid sometimes water too. Better not to change per changing theories in such basic needs. After 6 months, one can start weaning foods to babies such as raagi or kaya podi in Indian habitat. Combination of rice, dhal and ghee is the best as it contains the required amount of CHO, Protein and Fat. Need to introduce cows milk only after stopping breastfeed as protein formula differs in both and can cause a reaction if given simultaneously. Many times kids started skin complaints or respiratory complaints after Cows milk so it can be continued only to those who didn’t show a reaction. Almost the same protein gets from green dhal; substitute it with that.
Around 1 year can slowly start introducing what and all adults are having. Better to avoid junk foods. After one year doesn’t rely too much on breastfeed as they require solid food for their proper development.
Elimination – It takes 4 years +/- 1 or 2 years to complete the control over it. According to a famous psychologist, Sigmund Freud Over domination by caretakers in this stage can lead to obsessive-compulsive disorder in adult life. Around 2 months the intestine is slowly got converting to adult-type hence there will be constipation. Usually says motion gets passed in the third day naturally. However, Make sure gas is burped out after every feed otherwise baby will torment with pain.in such case, make it remove by some traditional method or can be the sort to Homeopathic medication which is very safe for kids.
Developmental delay – Developmental delay should be differentiated from a developmental disability such as Downs syndrome.
Motor Development delay – It is a delay in achieving milestones such as closing fontanelles, rolling, sitting, standing, stepping, speech around the age defined for that. Again, all these depend on the genetic factor. Please don’t compare with other kid and also stop asking others why your kid not yet started walking talking? You are asking for the first time however they are fed of answering for many! Parents should observe their kids by themselves and also never to forget to compare how parents were in childhood. Still if feeling too much delay then only need to go for Psychological assessment or consult a doctor if necessary. Homoeopathy has good medicines to achieve milestones if any development delay.
Sometimes overpressure or negligence can also lead to a delay in motor development. Giving them proper oil massage during bath and giving them proper training such as keeping a favourite toy in the far distance can promote walking.
Speech delay – normally first months cooing, babbling, gestures,
3rd month – pleasure, anger, fear can be comprehended.
1st year- one word
1.8 months- words must be reinforced along with gestures.
2 year – two words
2.6 year- simple command should be comprehended. Eg: give me a kitty
3 year – 3 words with grammar
Babies have not yet learned to control emotions. hence It’s easy for us to know by their facial expression. Babies comprehend the meaning of what others say to them more readily than they can put to their own thoughts to words. So be careful about what you are saying. Half they learn from their IQ and rest half from how others stimulate or encourage baby.
Always keep time to talk with babies and play with babies. Allow them to talk instead of helping before they complete the sentence or finish the task. Avoid encouraging their talk as cute as it may lead to mispronunciation in adult life.
Emotional hazard- Unresolved emotions can lead to stress. Yes! They too have stress however Can easily resolve it by knowing what they required in each stage. For eg:
3 month- stops crying when picked up.
6 month – enjoy playing hence play with them
9 month – stiffens body when seeing strangers hence give them emotional support in midst of strangers
1 year-year more dependent – give them your time and attention
2year – shows temper tantrum but never entertain
3year – less egocentric so teach them the value of sharing.
4 year – more affection so give back your affection.
5 year – reasoning already achieved so reason out them clearly.
The emotional factor depends on inborn nature, environment, illness, stress. They too have emotions just like us; happiness, fear, jealousy, love, sadness, anger, excitement but don’t know to control as they are still in ‘ID” stage according to Famous Psychologist Sigmond Freud. Mostly we can solve problems by giving appreciation, love, affection, more bondage and positive ambience. If not getting corrected find out the root cause and correct it. Even if not changing consult a psychologist or a Homeopathic doctor if medicinal intervention needed.
Social hazard – Lack of opportunity and motivation from parents and environment can lead to introversion. Too many caretakers or changing caretakers also a factor. 6 week to 6 months are the time for attitude formation. 40 % of people who are shy are a carryover from babyhood. Shyness can later lead to loneliness self-consciousness, unfavourable social emotions, hostile, no good social $ personal development.
Play hazard – too much dependency on toys and television effects emotional hazards. Hence role model play, group play is very important.
Hazards in understanding- It’s an easy and acceptable way to make get things done by giving rewards to them however it may lead to persistent food likes and dislikes. Chances are there they learn to associate sweet with reward ie toffee as a state of life. Solve it by changing rewards from toffee to toys and so on according to the situation.
Hazards in morality- If they discover they get more attention when they do things to annoy they keep on doing 3 d’s – 3 d’s are dawdling, defiance, disobedience. Never entertain and instead boost their good nature.
Relationship hazard– Any unfavourable ambience can affect them emotionally very badly even it can lead to behavioural disorders. e.g. parents fight.
Hazards in personality development – changed attitude of family members or loving persons can lead to emotional disturbances. Self-concept is a mirror image of what people in their lives think of them. As relationship deteriorates during 2 years, if not handled tactfully they can resort to as aggressive, resentful, withdrawn, etc. Identity formation finishes in pubertal age if parents could provide a positive ambience in all aspects can makes them a good individual in the society and can far more abolish fights in their marital life as they already achieved a mind to reason out and care in its pure form. Always reason out and clear whatever doubt they have.
By the age of 4 or babyhood ends,
Babies should be able to :
Learn to talk, walk with physical stability
Take solid food, chew properly
Motion control completed
Useful; vocabulary with correct pronunciation
Meaning of simple statement and command
Wear the dress with button
The simple concept of relatives and should be able to distinguish cartoon is not a reality.
Concept of right and wrong in relation with people outside. Make them understand never scare them.
The difficult task is learning to relate emotionally with parents and others. Babyish dependency is to meet their emotional needs and in childhood, he/she must learn to give and receive affection. More Outside bond than self – bond.
A good Homeopathy doctor hears all your woes and takes a detailed case. Homoeopathy can help in many phases which a kid finds it difficult to achieve and that too without any side effects.
Author: Dr Anaswara Dev
