When you become a new parent, the first baby book you hold before checking out of the hospital is the book of vaccinations. While new parents prepare themselves for their new child in every way, from buying clothes, crib, and toys to stocking up on diapers, few actually have a chance to talk about and read about the immunization process that the child will go through in her initial years.
The prescribed vaccinations for your child in the first two months are Hep B, DTaP, Hib, IPV, PCV and RV. Usually, on the first vaccination visit, your child receives two to three vaccines on one day and you have to come again for the second dose in a month. These vaccinations immunize your child from particular diseases that can affect your child physically and mentally in future.
To know more about vaccination read our article 10 things you must take care while vaccinating your child
However, allopathic vaccination is not geared to boost the innate or native immunity of the child. They are specific in nature and come into action when those pathogens against which child has been vaccinated, attack the child. Vaccination is a case of acquired immunity. It increases the efficiency of the immune system to withstand the second attack by the same pathogens.
The Innate and Acquired Immune System
Whereas a human body requires a multilayered immune system to keep it running well. The two main immune systems are the native or innate immune system and the acquired or adaptive immune system. While the innate system is non-specific in nature and comes into action immediately after an attack by the pathogens, the adaptive immune system uses some time to learn about the nature of pathogens to start the action. The adaptive immune system uses what is known as an immunological memory to learn about the threat before responding.
The innate immune system is like a mutant ninja ready to fight any time. It forms the first line of defense of the body against any outside attack. Therefore, a strong and responsive innate system can outsmart pathogens at the place of the entry itself resulting in better health of your child.
Ayurvedic Immunization
Ayurveda has a different approach towards immunization. It believes in strengthening the non-specific innate immunity as against specific acquired immunity so that the immune system is primed to take on any unknown threats that the life may throw at it.
BalaTantra or Kaumarabhritya is the branch in Ayurveda that deals with the nourishment and support of the child’s health. Kaumarabhritya encompasses neonatal care, infant feeding, dentition, clinical examination and management of childhood diseases, treatment principles and therapies in children as well as childhood samskaras.
Immunisation in Ayurveda is known as Arogya Kalpadrumam and starts from the first day of the birth and goes up to 12 years. This immunization process is applied to both the male and female child and has years of intervals between doses. The herbs given are not only beneficial for building immunity but also good for the brain and general well-being.
Give below is the time schedule of administration of herbs that you can follow for Ayurvedic immunization
| AGE | MEDICINE TO BE GIVEN |
| Second Day of Birth | Continuously for 7 days apply on bregma (the soft portion of the skull) Three drops of Vacha and nilamparanda |
| After 15 Days | Continuously for 7 days give swarasa of Amalaki with Panchanga of Bilwa |
| After One Month | For 7 days give Brahmi Ghrita mixed with a powder of Vidanga, Mustha, and Hingu |
| Three Months | Continuously for 7 days give Thrikadu and Sariba with butter |
| Six Months | Continuously for 7 days give Thrikadu with Musli in honey |
| 11th Month | For first 7 days give Amalaki, Mustha, with Trikaduchurma in honey |
| 1 year | 2 months – Amalaki, Mustha in butter for 7 days
3 months – Amalaki, Mustha with sugar and hot water 4 months – Amalaki, Mustha with honey and sugar 5 months – Amalaki, Mustha along with Panchakola Churna in cow’s ghee 6 months – Amalaki and Mustha along with jeera and Pippali in honey 7 months – Amalaki, Mustha with Thrikadu and Dadima in Masthu 8 months – Prepare ghee in chavya and Katuka and mix with powder of Amalaki and Mustha 9 months – Amalaki and Mustha with Vidanga and Pippali in honey 10 months – Amalaki and Mustha with jeera and thrikadu in sugar 11 months – Amalaki and Mustha with goat’s milk 12 months – Amalaki and Mustha with sugar and jeera in goat’s milk |
| From 2 to 3 years | INTERVAL (No Medicine to Be Given) |
| 3 Years | 1 month – Guduchi, Pippali, Vacha mixed with sugar and ghee for 7 days
2 months – Thakadu, Yashtimadhu, Vacha, Saindhava, Abhaya Churna with sugar and ghee 3 months – Sariba, Thrikadu, Vacha, Jeera, and masikka in ghee and sugar 4 months – Sariba, Thrikadu, Vacha, Jeera, and masikka in ghee and sugar 5 months – Dadima, Mustha, Vacha, Dhanyaka, and Pippali with sugar and ghee 6 months – Punarnava, Vyaghri, Vacha, Ksheeri in sugar and ghee 7 months – Mustha, and madhyama panchmool, Thippali, and Vacha in ghee and sugar 8 months – Dronapushpi, Mustha, Vacha, Palasa with ghee and sugar 9 months – Brahmi, Mustha, Vacha, Kudaka, Pippali Churna in sugar and ghee 10 months – Malathi Pushpam, Vacha, Jeera and Masika Churna in sugar and ghee 11 months – Jeera, chitraka, Vacha in sugar and ghee 12 months – Mustha, Thrikadu, Dadima, Amalaki, Vidanga, Talispatra, Chitraka, Abhaya, Vacha in sugar and ghee |
| 4 years to 5 years | INTERVAL |
| 5 years | 1 month – Guduchi, Pippali and pushkarmool churna in sugar and honey
2 months – Thakadu, Yashtimadhu, pushkaramula, saindhava, abhaya churna in sugar and honey 3 months – Vidanga, Mustha, Ela, pushkaramula and trikatu churna in sugar and honey 4 months – Sariba, Thakadu, pushkaramula, jeera, and masika in sugar and honey 5 months – Dadima, mustha, pushkaramula, dhanyaka in sugar and ghee 6 months – Punarnava, Vyaghiri, pushkaramoola, Nalppamarachurna in sugar and ghee 7 months – Dronapushpi, mustha, pushkaramula, palasa churna in sugar and ghee 8 months – Dronapushpi, mustha, pushkara, palashachurna in ghee and sugar 9 months – Brahmi, mustha, pushkaramula, kudaka, pippali churna in ghee and sugar 10 months – Pushkarmool, malathi, jeera, and masika in ghee and sugar 11 months – Jeera, chitraka, Pushkarmool, Pippali Churna in ghee and sugar 12 months – Mustha, Thrikadu, Dadima, Amalaki, Vidanga, Talispatra, Chitraka, Abhaya, Pushkarmool in sugar and ghee |
| 6 to 7 years | INTERVAL |
| 8 years
Shankupushpam is the main ingredient given with honey and ghee |
1 month – Shankupushpam, Pippali, and guduchi in honey and ghee
2 months – Thrikadu, Yastimadhu 3 months – Mushta, vidanga, ela, shundi, pippali 4 months – Sariba, Theri Kadu, Jeera, Masika 5 months – Dadima, Mustha, Dhanyaka, Pippali 6 months – Punarnava, Vyaghri, Nalppamara 7 months – Madhyamapanchamoola, Pippali 8 months – Mustha, Dronapushpi, palasa 9 months – Brahmi, mushtaq, Kutaka, Pippali 10 months – Brahmi, Mushtaq, Kutaka, Pippali 11 months – Jeera, chitraka, pippali 12 months – Mustha, Thrikadu, Dadima, Amalaki, Vidanga, Talispatra, Chitraka, Abhaya |
| 9 years | INTERVAL |
| 10 years | 1 month – Abhayadi Rutha
2 months – Vidangadi 3 months – Jirakadi 4 months – Jeevaneeya 5 months – Rudraksha 6 months – Sarivadi 7 months – Nagaradi 8 months – Pippalyadi 9 months – Vilwadi 10 months – Thrayamanadi 11 months – Dadimadi 12 months – Pattikajathi |
| 11 years | INTERVAL |
| 12 years
(main medicine is vacha with honey, ghee, and sugar |
1 month – Dhruva and Vacha
2 months – Brahmi and Vacha 3 months – Muthill and Vacha 4 months – Vannitwak and Vacha 5 months – Bhringraj root and Vachas 6 months – Amalaki and Vacha 7 months – Pippali and Vacha 8 months – Indaravuni and Vacha 9 months – Ashtishringa and Vacha 10 months – Bhauji ( Karko Kilari) and Vacha 11 months – Vyaghri and Vacha 12 months – Sariba and Vacha |
Meet an Ayurveda doctor and chalk out a schedule for your child. Use Ayurvedic immunization in conjunction with allopathic vaccination to build both the innate and adaptive immune system.