Management of Cerebral Palsy through Siddha System of Medicine - A Review

Abstract

Cerebral palsy is a disorder of movement, muscle tone and posture. Cerebral palsy is due to abnormal brain development often before birth. Cerebral palsy is the most common physical disability in children; about 2 per 1000 live-born are later diagnosed with CP. Social inequality in risk has been reported for outcomes strongly associated with CP, including preterm birth, low birth weight and intrauterine growth restriction. In medical world, there are a lot of newly developed technologies are present in children health for pediatric care. Therefore several generations before in Siddha literatures are described the child growth, child growing period and the specific group of medicinal plants suitable for pediatric population and the diseases that occur in various stages of childhood and their treatment. In Siddha literature, most of the symptoms of Cerebral Palsy are correlated to Siravatham, Sirasthamba Vatham. I reviewed a complete manual on siddha treatment for cerebral palsy. The external therapies are like Varmam, Podithimirthal, Ennaiooral (Sira Pootchu), Ennaiozhukku (Tharai), Thokanam, Nasiyam. One of the concepts of Siddha system is diseases are raised from impairment of Mukkutram (Vatham, Pitham and Kabam).These external therapies were found to reduce Vadha and Kabha and induce Pitha. So that the above therapies are used to reduce the symptoms and manage the condition.