Cerebral palsy, otherwise known as Little’s disease is a common childhood disability disorder with dominated spasticity. True to the core, there is no complete cure for the disease. Cerebral palsy or CP is a congenital disease but is diagnosed probably later. It causes immense disability in children with marked spasticity. It is a case of static encephalopathy that the condition does not advance. The prevalence of cerebral palsy is as remarkable as 1.5 to 2.5 per 1000 live births.

Cerebral Palsy is a group of signs & symptoms mainly motor and neurological. It is caused by abnormal development of the brain during pregnancy or early life. It can also occur due to damage of the brain, especially due to hypoxia during childbirth. In many cases, the disease is not diagnosed soon after birth. In children with severe disabilities, the initial milestones get delayed and the diagnosis is done in the first or second year of life.

• But is there anything we can do to save the child become completely bedridden and dependent?

• Is there any possibility when Ayurveda along with other needed and effective therapies unite together in case of a CP child?

It has been proven in many cases to help the child’s recovery, though partial. The dependency will be less and the child may express his ideas more successfully with proper treatment and training. In such a scenario, a combined effort by a team of physicians, well-trained therapists and parents can help the child to be better in movement, coordination and communication.

In children with minimal damage, it may take a little longer to get diagnosed. At any point, the diagnosis is a turning point in the life of the child and parents. As the new born baby shows delayed or no development at all, the parents get panic and freaked out in most cases. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, there seems a full stop to the child’s life as the progress in growth and development seem stagnant. Over time, the child becomes almost fully dependent on parents or others even for daily routine.

Cerebral Palsy can happen due to several reasons before, during or immediately after childbirth. Mainly Cerebral Palsy happens due to lack of oxygen supply to the brain and the resultant diffuse cortical and scattered focal atrophy. It can also develop as a complication of conditions like periventricular leukomalacia or stroke in utero etc. In any case, motor and neurological functions are compromised. Treatment of Cerebral Palsy includes conservative management and symptomatic management mostly. 

At Jeevaneeyam, we follow the Kottakal protocol for Cerebral Palsy developed by Dr Dinesh KS, Head of the department of Kaumarabhruthya, Kottakal Ayurveda Medical college. It includes symptomatic management and conservative management.

• The protocol includes alternate administration of Snehana and Swedana for two or three weeks.
• Admitted treatment will be needed once every 6 months or one year.
• In Cerebral Palsy, many treatment modalities are used from time to time according to the clinical manifestation and conditions.
• They include:
  • Rukshana(drying up therapies)
  • Snehana (Oleation therapies)
  • Swedana (Sudation therapies)
  • Sodhana (Purificatory procedures to clear metabolic wastes from the body)
  • Brmhana(strengthening therapies)
  • Rasayana(nourishing therapies)
  • Medhya (therapies to enhance brain functions) and symptomatic treatment.

Any of these therapies are applied after proper evaluation and examination. 

• Treatment of Cerebral Palsy is a marathon, not a 100m race. It takes immense patience and skill of doctors, therapists and parents. Though it is considered not curable, there is hope in cases with early diagnosis, scientific treatment and regular follow up.
• Studies are showing that most cases of Cerebral Palsy children respond well to an integrated approach with Ayurveda medicines and Panchakarma when combined with other therapies. It also helps to reduce or nullify the probable adverse effects of many other medications, too.
• Ayurveda considers developmental disorders under sahaja vyadhis which are difficult to treat. Cerebral Palsy comes under the group of diseases which are impossible to cure completely yet manageable.
• We need proper alignment of all the therapies and medicines needed with regular follow up.
• Mainstream procedures are keeping the body clean with proper digestion, absorption and nourishment along with strengthening of muscles.
• Innervation to regulate the functions of nerves is also an important part of treatment.
• This may need admitted treatment sessions from time to time and continued procedures like physiotherapy. Symptomatic management is also done varying in each case in each condition.
• It needs proper diagnosis, examination, assessment and follows up by a skilled Ayurveda practitioner along with other therapies.

In cases of Cerebral Palsy, the most promising approach for moulding neurons is to facilitate the patient with an array of treatment methods that highly contrast in nature so that brain or neurons try to catch up with this range of stimulations rather than getting used to a single type of stimulus. Such highly contrasting treatment may be provided at the level of proprioceptors and other receptors. This can ensure maximum neuronal plasticity in the child. The above-stated protocol targets the activation of rudimentary neurons.

In Ayurveda pharmacotherapy, drugs are explained with having twenty qualities, opposite or contradictory to each other like one drug having hot potency while some other drug may be cold in potency. So, we can easily administer such contrasting therapies. Such contrasting stimuli when applied judiciously, reach the brain through the respective neurons. Alternate treatment of snehana and rukshana is needed to regulate Kapha and Vaata in terms of Ayurveda where it helps establish a permanent and modified circuit within the brain by neuronal plasticity.