Comprehensive management of Austim through Ayurveda and Yoga
Author(s): Dr Dinesh KS
Abstract
Autism Spectrum disorders (ASD) accommodates the neuro behavioral conditions that are ever expanding in terms of the clinical understanding and therapeutics, owing to its multifactorial pathology and management. ASD with its epidemic features creates turbulence in the harmony of whole family and nation invoking wholistic, economic and effective biological means to manage the situations. Ayurveda being a complex, nonlinear, dynamic system of biological approach has recently formulated an AGASTYA protocol (Ayurveda Drugs, Gut Therapy, Ayurveda Standards of Living, Training of Parents and Yogic Assistance) which is an Indian approach of Ayurveda care, region specific with detailed analysis on the effect of sensory diet. This is an integrated way of dealing child’s physical and psychological development. The protocol is framed based on the observations and experiences drawn from several pilot projects. The effect of Gut Therapy Protocol (GTP) in 84 children for its impact in psychological domain, CARS, and other gut functions were tested. Effects of parental lifestyle guidelines programme were tested in 23 reliable parenting figures. Further, the AYUSH funded research programme to study the impact of GTP in gut microbiome of children diagnosed with autism has significant observations to this multicentred study. The medicines were prescribed for a year with a monthly in-person review. The initial phase of the interventions of GTP revealed significant results in relieving gut symptoms among children. Significant (p<0.05) changes were observed with a positive correlation coefficient of +0.83 in the following symptoms viz sensory dysfunction, stereotypy, crankiness and spontaneous cry. On evaluation of the lifestyle guidelines course, a highly significant change [p<0.001] in the CARS, ISAA, WHO-QOL-BREF was noted in the physical and psychological domain. The study finds AGASTYA protocol effective in the management of children with ASD and this highlights the need for incorporating AGASTYA with the core operational concepts prevailing nationwide.