Childhood is considered as the most important phase in life, which determines the quality of health, well being, learning and behaviour across the lifespan. This may be the reason for giving the foremost position for Balacikitsa among Ashtangas (8 branches) of Ayurveda. “Kaumarabhrthya” the branch which deals with Balacikitsa (pediatric health care), has been given the foremost position among Ashtangas of Ayurveda by Acharya Kashyapa . Kaumarabhrthya deals with healthy upbringing of infants, purification of mother’s milk and also cure for diseases of infants caused by intake of vitiated breast milk or Balagraha . Acharya Hareeta included antenatal care and post natal care in this field. Early childhood is a critical period in development, as rapid gain in physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional domains constitutes the “building blocks” of children’s later growth . Pediatric health care can be brought under the broad concept of Kaumarabhrthya. The earlier repositories of Ayurvedic knowledge like Brihathrayi have briefly documented the information on Kaumarabhrthya. Later on, Acharya Kashyapa wrote a detailed treatise on Kaumarabrthya Tantra, which still remains as an important pediatric reference in Ayurveda. Now, Kaumarabrthya has developed in to an important branch in Ayurveda.The regional growth of indigenous medicine in Kerala significantly contributed to the development of primary child health care. The frame work of Ayurveda has an inherent capacity and flexibility to imbibe such changes. Many kriyakramas like Patrapotalisweda (fomentation with leaves of medicinal plants tied inside a cloth) and Pizhichil (oil bath), developed from the traditional practices in Kerala, are now practiced globally Prevention being the primary tool for health maintainence, the role of immunology in literature is really important. Ayurvedic medicines especially Rasayanas enhance the body’s overall natural resistance to the disease causing agent rather than directly neutralizing the agent itself. The preventive measures mentioned in Praakaara Yoga and Uramarunnuprayoga can be studied as an Ayurvedic approach of way of immunization. This plays a key role in the maintenance of health and prevention of disease. In ancient times, the study of Ayurveda was not divided in to branches as today. Later, when the science developed to the extent of exploring the minutest cells in the body, the precise knowledge about each domain became inevitable. As a part of reductionism in medical science, Kaumarabrithya developed as a separate branch.Pediatric Ayurveda lays the foundation of a good life. It gives importance to the physical, mental, and psychological growth of a child. If child-rearing, childcare, and treatment are carried out according to the rules of Pediatric Ayurveda, then definitely the child will turn into a happy and healthy adult. At every stage of development of the child, there are special problems faced for e.g. during teething (Dhantodbhav), it is natural for a child to have loose motions and fever. At every age of the child, the pattern of the disease changes for which the treatment also has to change accordingly for e.g. secondary sex characteristics appear during the adolescent age at which the abnormal pubertal developments may also occur. Children in general, are more prone to infectious disease as compared to the adult
