Role of Ayurveda in Delayed Speech in Children – A Case Series

Abstract

Developmental delay in speech is a common occurrence among young children in  India with a prevalence of up to 17%. If left undiagnosed and untreated, speech delay  can lead to other adverse developmental and health outcomes. The purpose of this  paper is to present unusual cases that showed the uncommon role of Ayurveda in the  treatment of speech delay among three separate patient case studies of children aged  24 to 29 months who presented with the inability to formulate words. The ayurvedic  concept of speech formation involves the initiation of sound waves from the  umbilicus, which travels upward and then eventually gets manifested through vocal  cords. Understanding the health of the umbilicus and surrounding anatomical  structures in the abdomen was critical in the diagnosis and treatment of the three case  studies. The cleansing treatment provided is similar to that given for worm infestation,  which has distant similarities in the mechanism of disease as speech delay. In all three  cases, the treatments provided led to a gradual increase in word formation and  verbalization including the number of words and the sentences spoken. One of the  patients demonstrated significant improvement by speaking full sentences and  expressing words distinctly, 30-day post-treatment. The other two patients started  speaking complete sentences and expressing words by month three post-treatment.  The presentation of the three cases provides a unique lens on the use of Ayurveda  principles and may provide an alternative approach to treating speech delays that  focus more on lifestyle and individual constitution.