A Case Report on the Ayurvedic Management of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a group of heterogeneous conditions arising from impairments in brain development characterized deficits in cognition, language, motor function, behavior, and social communication. Among these, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with developmental deficits in social communication with repetitive, rigid, stereotypic patterns of behaviours. Though conventional management primarily focuses on behavioural and symptomatic interventions, its limited impact on addressing core symptoms and long-term functional outcomes, there is always a need of complementary approaches. A 7.5-year-old male child was brought by his parents, with complaints of repetitive hand movements, poor social interaction, poor concentration, poor eye contact, repetitive speech with reduced clarity, inadequate weight gain, hyperactivity prefers to play alone, and recurrent respiratory tract infections. Based on Ayurvedic assessment the condition was diagnosed with Vatapithothara Saniipathika Unmadam. The child underwent 21 days of in-patient treatment and 45 days of follow-up medications. Post follow-up assessment shows reduction in autism severity, along with improvements in social interaction, communication, hyperactivity, sleep, and overall well-being. This case report highlights the importance of the Ayurvedic interventions in managing ASD, with reduction of its severity and significant improvements in both the child’s and parent’s quality of life.