J. Res. Educ. Indian Med 2012; XVIII (3-4): 163-174 ISSN 0970-7700 AN AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE TOWARDS CEREBRAL PALSY KARAM SINGH 1 AND BHAVNA VERMA 2 Department of Kaumarbhritya/Balroga 1 and Department of Basic Principles 2. Dayanand Ayurvedic College, Jalandhar, Punjab - 144008 (India). Abstract: Cerebral palsy is an all encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical impairment in brain development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement. Its incidence is about 2 to 3 per 1,000 live births. Its prevalence is increased among low birth weight infants, particularly those weighing less than 1000 g at birth. While in certain cases there is no identifiable cause, typical causes include problems involving intrauterine development, birth asphyxia, and birth trauma during labour and certain complications in the perinatal period or during childhood. Cerebral palsy is also more common in multiple births. An exact Ayurvedic correlation to cerebral palsy is not particularly evident in its classical literature. Different aspects of this condition can be found scattered in various contexts of antenatal, natal and postnatal stages. However, considering the disease classification and respective clinical features, Cerebral palsy seems similar to vatavyadhi or vatavikar particularly afflicting the shiromarma or shiromarmabhighata vatavikar which may manifest in form of pakshaghat, ekangaroga, pangu etc. Keywords: Cerebral palsy (CP), Vatavyadhi, Herbal treatment, Medicinal plants. Introduction Cerebral palsy (CP) is one of the most common causes of disability in childhood, leading to functional limitations. It is characterized by the inability to normally control motor functions, which affect the child’s ability to explore, speak, learn, and become independent. Effective management can improve the quality of life for the child and family. Cerebral refers to the cerebrum, which is the affected area of the brain; palsy refers to disorder of movement. Cerebral palsy was first described by William John Little, an orthopaedic surgeon in 1862 and initially was called Little’s disease who observed that children with tone and developmental abnormalities often have had prolonged labour, prematurity or breech delivery. Later, in 1897, Sigmund Freud suggested that Cerebral palsy might be rooted in the brain’s development in the womb and related aberrant development of factors influencing the developing foetus. According to Michael V. Johnston (2008) 1 “Cerebral palsy is a diagnostic term used to describe a group of motor syndromes resulting from disorders of early brain development. Although it has been considered a static encephalopathy, but term is not entirely accurate because of the recognition that the neurologic features of cerebral palsy often change or progress over time”. Clayton L. Thomas (2005) 2 describes cerebral palsy as “An umbrella term for a group of nonprogressive, but often changing, motor impairment syndromes secondary to lesions or anomalies of the brain arising in the early stages of its development. Cerebral palsy is a symptom complex rather than a specific disease”. OP Ghai (2009) 3 state that Cerebral palsy is a non-progressive neuromotor disorder of cerebral origin. Incidence It is about 2 to 3 per thousand live births 1,4,5,6,7 Prevalence of cerebral palsy is increased among low birth weight infants, particularly those weighing less than 1000 gm at birth, primarily because of intracerebral haemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia. 1 1. Lecturer in Balroga 2. Lecturer in Basic Principle of Ayurveda