Liver Disease in Children’s

Liver is one of the important organ of human body is responsible for removing toxins from the body, fight infection, control cholesterol levels and helping your body digest food. Any disease affecting the regular function of liver is called liver disease. There can be various causes for liver diseases such as infection, physical trauma etc.

We know precious little about where the liver does and how important a role it plays in the body. The liver can be thought of as your body’s engine and processing plant that is largely responsible for the generation, digestion, and metabolism of various essential components as well as for the filtration of blood and distribution of vital nutrients.

Common types of Liver Disease:-

When liver functioning gets disturbed a number of diseases may arise. As child or person develops liver disease they may loss vital function putting them in potential life-threatening situations.

Some of the most common liver diseases include:

• Jaundice
• Cirrhosis
• Hepatitis
• Cholestasis
• Liver enlargement
• Fatty liver
• Ascites

• Liver failure
• Portal hypertension
• Hepatic encephalopathy
• Abnormal bleeding
• Severe itching
• Fever

Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes due to abnormally high levels of the billirubin (bile pigment) in the bloodstream. Urine is usually dark because of the billirubin excerted through the Kidneys.

High levels of billirubin may be attributed to inflammation or other abnormalities of the liver cells or blockage of the bile ducts. Sometimes jaundice is caused by the breakdown of a large number of red blood cells. This can happen in newborn, Jaundice is usually the first sign and sometimes the only sign of liver disease.

Neonatal jaundice:-

Neonatal jaundice is a yellowish discoloration of the white part of the eyes and skin in a newborn baby due to high bilirubin level.

In newborns, jaundice tends to develop because of two factors- The breakdown of fetal hemoglobin as it is replaced with adult hemoglobin and the relatively immature metabolic Pathways of the liver which are unable to conjugate and so excrete bilirubin as quickly as an adult. This causes an accumulation of bilirubin in the blood leading to the symptoms of Jaundice

Neonatal jaundice symptoms may include excessive sleepiness or poor feeding complication may include seizures, cerebral palsy (CP), or kernicterus.  Neonatal jaundice is also known as Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, neonatal icterus, jaundice in newborns.

For that Ayurvedic treatment is very beneficial

Liver Cirrhosis Symptoms in Children:-

Liver cirrhosis symptoms in children’s itself often cause no symptoms early in the disease process. Symptoms start when there is portal hypertension or the liver begins to fail as scar tissue replace healthy cells. Symptoms severity may depend on the extent of liver damage. Children in the early stage of cirrhosis may feel fatigued and week. Sometimes he or she will experience abdominal swelling that feels tense or painful, poor appetite, or is losing weight.

Complication in liver cirrhosis in Children’s:

• Reddened palms
• Loss of body hair
• Liver enlarged
• Spleen enlarged
• Vomiting blood
• Itching
• Abdominal infection
• forgetfulness or confusion
• Liver cancer
• Swelling in the leg and abdomen
• Tremors

Liver cirrhosis can be compared to “Kumbhakaamla” as stated in Ayurveda.

In Ayurvedic terms, liver cirrhosis is through to result due to an extreme aggravation of the pitta dosha. The liver is considered as the seat of pitta and therefore, an aggravated pitta dosha affects the functioning of this vital organ that helps eliminate toxins from the body. It can lead to problems such as anemia, jaundice, hemorrhage, ascites, and liver and spleen enlargement. This may end up aggravating and dis-balancing other doshas as well.

Because of aggravation of the pitta dosha, all the functions of the pitta such clarity of skin complexion, hunger, digestion, and production of blood are seriously affected. Because of the aggravation, the rasa and rakta dhatus are severely affected followed by other dhatus.

Ayurvedic treatment for liver ailments is highly recommended as it is completely natural and does not result in any side effects. It helps reverse all of the symptoms of liver cirrhosis and other diseases while restoring the normal functioning of the liver. There are several Ayurvedic remedies that you can practice to relieve the symptoms of liver cirrhosis.

Cholestasis means any condition in which bile flow is reduced or stopped. ‘Chole’ refers to bile and ‘stasis’ means not moving. Bile flow may be blocked inside the liver outside the liver or both places.

 Causes of Cholestasis include the following:-

• Hepatitis
• Primary biliary cirrhosis
• A stone in the bile duct
• Bile duct cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Inflammation of pancreas

Symptoms of Cholestasis:

• Jaundice
• Dark urine
• Pale stool
• Itching
• Ascites
• Chills
• Enlarged gallbladder
• Pain from the biliary tract or pancreas

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver tissue most commonly caused by a viral infection. Some children or people with hepatitis have no symptoms whereas other develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of eye (jaundice) poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

Hepatic is acute when it lasts less than six months and persists longer than 6 months.

Acute hepatitis can resolve on its own, Progress to chronic hepatitis or result in acute liver failure. Chronic hepatitis may progress to scarring of the liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.

Types of hepatitis:-

Viral infection of the liver that are classified as hepatitis include hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. A different virus is responsible for each type of viral transmitted hepatitis.

1. Hepatitis A:

Hepatitis A is always an acute short-term disease that is caused by an infection with hepatitis A virus(HAV). This type of hepatitis is most commonly transmitted by consuming food or water contaminated by feces from person infected with hepatitis

2. Hepatitis B:

Hepatitis B is transmitted through contact with infectious body fluids such as blood, vaginal secretion or semen containing the Hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B most likely to become ongoing or chronic.

Having your skin perforated unsterilized needles during infection, as might be the case when getting a tattoo or being accidentally pricked. People who work in health care risk becoming infected by accident in this way. Sharing personal items such as toothbrush or a razor with an infected person. A baby can become infected through his mother’s milk if she is infected.

3. Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is comes from the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C is transmitted through direct contact with infected body fluid typically through injection drug use and sexual contact. Hepatitis B virus(HVC) is among the most common blood Borne viral infections.

4. Hepatitis D

Hepatitis D is a serious liver disease caused by the hepatitis D virus (HDV) It is also called delta hepatitis. Hepatitis D virus is contracted through direct contact with infected blood, Hepatitis D is a rear form of hepatitis that only occurs in conjunction with Hepatitis B infection. The hepatitis D virus can’t multiply without the presence of hepatitis B. Only a person or child who is already infected with Hepatitis B can become infected with the Hepatitis D. The liver of a person under with hepatitis swells. Chronic infection hepatitis D virus may lead to falminal acute hepatitis with severe chronic acute progression to cirrhosis.

5. Hepatitis E:

Hepatitis E is a waterborne disease caused by the Hepatitis E virus (HEV). Hepatitis E is mainly found in areas with poor sanitation and typically results from ingesting fecal matter that contaminates the water supply. This disease is uncommon, In this disease liver swells but there is no long term consequence.

Common symptoms of Hepatitis:

• Fatigue
• Flu-like symptoms
• Dark urine
• Pale stool
• Abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite
• Unexplained weight loss
• Yellow skin and Eyes i.e. jaundice

Liver failure means that your liver is losing or has lost all of its function. It is a life-threatening condition that demands urgent medical care. Liver failure occurs either suddenly (acute) or gradually(chronic).

Causes include reaction to medication hepatitis infection, and alcohol abuse and advanced fatty liver. Liver failure happens when large part of liver become damage beyond repair and liver can’t work anymore.

There are two types of liver failure:

1. Acute liver failure
2. Chronic liver failure

1. Acute liver failure:

Acute liver failure occurs when many cells in the liver die or become very damaged in a short amount of time. This causes the liver to fail to work as it should. As a result patients may become less alert or even go into a coma. Because this happens so fast, getting care quickly is vital. Acute liver Failure is children is rare.

Acute liver failure has many causes Acetaminophen is a common medicine that can affect how the liver works.

This can happen if a child is given the wrong dose of medicine or if too much is taken in a short amount of time.

2. Chronic liver failure:

Chronic liver Failure is the disease process of the liver that involves progressive destruction and regeneration of the liver parenchyma leading to fibrosis and cirrhosis. Venous flow into the liver decreases due to this, leading to elevated portal pressure, Portal hypertension then leads to splenomegaly, causing anaemia and thrombocytopenia. Ascites, hepatorenal syndrome, hepatopumanary syndrome, variceal bleeding, and hepatic encephalopathy are all recognized complications.

Fatty liver disease in children, when a child has accumulated fat in the liver but no information or cell damage. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH). when fat in a child’s liver leads to inflammation and cell damage. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) is a serious condition that can lead to a serious condition that can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer.

The causes in fatty liver in a child, the exact cause of fatty liver disease is not known, but obesity appears to be the most common cause of the children and young adults can get fatty liver disease it is most common in middle age. Risk factors include being overweight. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has no specific symptoms for signs but should be considered in obese children. Simple fatty liver typically does not get bad enough to cause liver damage or complication. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in which you have inflammation and liver cell damage as well as fat in your liver. Inflammation and liver cell damage can cause fibrosis or cirrhosis of liver. NASH may lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Risk of fatty liver disease:

• Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• High level of fat in the blood
• such as cholesterol and triglycerides
• High blood pressure
• Metabolic syndrome
• Rapid weight loss

The most common symptoms of fatty liver:-

• Feeling tired
• Loss of weight
• Loss of appetite
• Weakness
• Nausea
• Confusion, poor judgment
• Hepatomegaly
• Dark color patches

Liver enlargement is usually an indicator of liver diseases although there are usually no symptoms associated with slightly enlarged (Hepatomegaly). Symptoms of the grossly enlarged liver include abdominal discomfort or ‘feeling full’.

Portal hypertension is high blood pressure in the portal vein, which supplies the liver with blood from the intestine and spleep portal hypertension may be due to increased blood pressure in the portal blood vessels for resistance to blood flow through the liver.

Portal hypertension can lead to the growth of new blood vessels that connect blood flow from the intestine to the general circulation, bypassing the liver.

Ascites is fluid buildup in the abdominal cavity causes fluid to leak from the surface of the liver and intestine. Ascites due to liver disease usually accompanies other liver disease characteristics such as portal hypertension.

Symptoms of Ascites may include a distended abdominal cavity. This causes discomfort and shortness of breath.

Causes of Ascites may include the following:

• liver cirrhosis
• Hepatitis
• Obstruction of the hepatic vein

Hepatitis Encephalopathy is the deterioration of brain function and damage to the nervous system. This is because of toxic substances building up in the blood, which are normally removed by the liver. Liver Encephalopathy, Hepatic Encephalopathy, hepatic coma.

Symptoms may include:-

• Impaired consequences
• Changes in logical thinking, Personality of behavior
• Mood changes
• Impaired judgment
• Drowsiness
• Confusion
• Sluggish speed and moment
• Disorientation
• Lost of consequence
• Coma, Seizures
• Muscle Stiffness or tremors
• Uncontrolable Movement

According to ayurvedic Samhita is called as Yakrit. Pitta is the predominant humor of the liver. Most liver disorders are aggravated conditions of pitta. Excessive bile production or a blockage in the flow of bile. Usually indicate high pitta which in turn affects the agni or enzyme activities responsible for absorption, digestion, and metabolism.

Kumbha Kamala is the classical description if cirrhosis of the liver is Ayurveda.

Ayurveda is traditional skill and treating liver diseases since centuries and the drug toxicity appears to be less as compared to conventional medicine. Yakrit is the root of Rakta vaha srotos and pitta is Mala (by-product) of Rakta Dhatu. Excess intake of Madya(Alcohol) said to increase Pitta and Vitiate Rakta Dhatu and altes the architecture Rakta Vaha Srotas. Ayurvedic Samhita found Yakrit Suska which may be compared with cirrhosis of the liver. Pandu Kamala, Asmari, Yakrit vidravdhi(liver Abcess), Yakrit granthi(Liver cyst) Yakrit dulludara(Hepatitis or hepatomegaly), Yakrutodar, Jalodara (Ascites) and Krionija Yakrit roga are the various disease described in Ayurvedic Samhita. Kamala Halimaka and Panaki are different stages of liver diseases.

In our center, Shri vishwadatta Ayurved are providing highly Effective Ayurvedic treatment of liver disease. Our Ayurvedic treatment involved shodana chikitsa (detoxification through Panchakarma procedures), Shamana chikitsa (Palliative researched Ayurvedic Medicine) and Kayaktpa (rejuvenation). Our Ayurvedic treatment is useful in improving the liver health and preventing future damage.

Lifestyle and Diet to Prevent Liver Disease

1) Liver cleaning food:

Ginger, garlic. onion, Nuts, essential nutrients, fresh fruit and vegetables like grapefruit, blueberries, cranberry, grapes, beetroots, cruciferous vegetables,  and leafy green vegetables, olive oil, turmeric, and green tea.

2) Foods to avoid:-

• Intake of both salt and sugar needs to be restricted
• Junk food
• Avoid consumption of alcohol

 3) Exposure to harmful substances:-

• Protect your skin from a high level of toxicity
• Avoid unsafe activities like getting body piercing or tattoo.
• Stay away from body fluid and blood of other people

 4) Stay Active:-

Physical activity necessarily requires gyming including walking, jogging cycling or swimming.