Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs) in otherwise immunocompetent children are a major cause of morbidity, school absenteeism, parental anxiety and antibiotic overuse. Ayurveda conceptualises disease resistance in terms of Vyadhikshamatva, Bala and Ojas, and describes Rasayana- and balya-based Bala Vriddhikara modalities for strengthening host defence. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of a standardized Bala Vriddhikara Chikitsa package, delivered as an adjunct to standard care, in repeatedly ill children. In a tertiary-care Ayurvedic teaching hospital, 120 children aged 3-10 years who fulfilled RRTI criteria were randomized (1:1) to receive Bala Vriddhikara Chikitsa plus standard care or standard care alone for 6 months, with follow-up to 12 months. The intervention comprised a quality-controlled Rasayana/balya formulation in age-appropriate doses together with structured dietary and lifestyle counselling, while both groups received guideline-based management of acute infections. The primary outcome was the rate of clinically documented infection episodes per child-year; secondary outcomes included antibiotic use, school absenteeism, anthropometry, immunological markers and health-related quality of life, as well as safety parameters. Intention-to-treat analysis showed a significantly lower mean infection rate in the intervention group (3.6±1.5 vs 5.4±1.8 episodes/child-year; incidence rate ratio 0.67, 95% CI 0.58-0.78), along with fewer antibiotic courses and days and reduced school absenteeism. Children receiving Bala Vriddhikara Chikitsa demonstrated greater increases in serum IgG and IgA and CD4⁺ T-cell counts, modestly better gains in weight- and height-for-age Z-scores and larger improvements in health-related quality of life. The regimen was well tolerated, with only mild, self-limiting adverse events and no serious drug-related toxicity. These findings suggest that a standardized Bala Vriddhikara Chikitsa protocol can serve as a safe, feasible and effective adjunct to conventional care for high-risk, repeatedly ill children, and warrant broader implementation and further multicentre evaluation.