Suvarnaprashan

What Suvarnaprashan is

Suvarnaprashan is a classical Ayurvedic preparation for children, described by Acharya Kashyapa: purified gold (Swarna Bhasma) combined with cow’s ghee, honey and selected medhya herbs, given as a few drops by mouth. It belongs to the branch of Ayurveda dealing specifically with children, Kaumarbhritya.

What it is given for

• Resistance to recurrent cough, cold and infection
• Digestion and appetite
• Memory, concentration and grasping power
• Physical growth and strength
• Allergic tendency, particularly respiratory and skin

When it is given

Classically it is administered on Pushya Nakshatra, which falls roughly once every twenty-seven days, and the clinic follows that calendar. It can also be given daily where a child’s condition calls for it. It is suitable from birth to sixteen years, with the dose set by age.

Call the clinic to find out the next Pushya Nakshatra date. No appointment is needed on those days, but arriving early avoids the queue.

What it is not

Suvarnaprashan is not a vaccine and is not a substitute for your child’s immunisation schedule. Keep every scheduled vaccination. It is supportive care given alongside paediatric medicine, not instead of it, and it does not replace treatment for an unwell child.