Baby AR, is a known case of dystonic cerebral palsy, with no positive history of cerebral palsy in the family. When she was a mere six months old, her parents noticed that she did not display the normal milestones of an infant her age. It distressed her parents and they decided to visit her pediatrician. They were advised to undergo a few diagnostic investigations like MRI. On the basis of those tests, Baby AR was diagnosed with Cerebral palsy.
Without further ado, her parents began the rounds from doctors to therapists and back again. She started with basic physiotherapy exercises to strengthen muscles and to regain her functions. But her parents were not satisfied with the results. They started looking out for alternate treatment options and it was then that they came across Dr Alok Sharma and Dr Nandini Gokulchandran and the concept of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells grafting for cerebral palsy treatment in India.
Baby AR’s family first approached NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute in February 2012. On examination, it was seen that she exhibited delayed milestones. Besides that she displayed poor head and oromotor control, midline activities and had difficulty in balance. Baby AR underwent autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells grafting in July 2012. Along with cell treatment for cerebral palsy treatment in Mumbai, she was put on an extensive rehabilitation programme. The rehabilitation program was customized in a manner such that it benefits her to the maximum limit. The aim of rehabilitation program was to help improve her muscle tone to help develop her major milestones. Post her autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells grafting for cerebral palsy treatment in Mumbai, Baby AR showed major improvements in balance and neck holding. Her grip and hand movements showed improvements as compared to before and the rigidity in her legs also reduced.
“Dealing with a child having cerebral palsy is a full time job. When my daughter was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, it was definitely a shock to my family. We rushed around major hospitals and consulted several doctors to discuss the future of my child. Everyone gave us one response saying that nothing can be done and that regular physiotherapy can be the only option. But I did not give up and my search led me to autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells grafting for cerebral palsy treatment in India. In spite of a reluctant response from my dear ones, my husband and I decided to go for it and are extremely pleased with our decision. Autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells grafting for cerebral treatment in Mumbai, and the staff at NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute have turned my hope into belief!” says Baby AR’s mother.
Following the improvements, Baby AR has undergone autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells grafting for cerebral palsy treatment in Mumbai twice at NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute.
Clinical improvements seen in Baby AR after first autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells grafting :
Tongue protrusion was more spontaneous.
Drooling had reduced.
Overall awareness had increased.
Sucking and chewing was initiated.
Vocalizations became more spontaneous.
Clinical improvements seen in Baby AR after second autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells grafting :
She began moving around.
Oral motor skills improved. She started drinking on her own with less spillage. She could start chewing
She began trying to communicate, sometimes by speaking a few unclear words.
Neck holding improved.
She could now roll from a prone to supine position.
Her static sitting balance improved.
There was a slight improvement in her dynamic sitting balance as well.
Her kicking of legs increased.
Grip improved.
Her lower limb dystonia reduced and upper limb dystonia improved as well.
Began transitional movements.
Started trying to reach for objects/ toys.
She began laughing aloud and playing with other children and parents.
She became more attentive.
Her understanding of concepts and commands improved.
She started indicating before passing urine.
Her focusing on objects improved.
Her GMFM score improved from 8.4 – 11.4
“Accepting our problems is one thing, but losing hope over them is not. Even if there is a 5% or 10% chance of things looking brighter, we should grab them and move on in life.” said Baby AR’s mother.
Currently, Baby AR is undergoing physiotherapy at our centre. Her parents continue to work with as rigorously as before and hope their daughter will show even further improvements.
Master HS is a known case of diplegic Cerebral Palsy with autistic features. On examination, it was seen that he had poor social skills, stereotypical features and was slightly aggressive as compared to other children his age. He also displayed problems with his fine motor skills and balance, and was dependent for most of the activities of daily living.
“It was never in our wildest imagination that my son may have problems with achieving his regular milestones. We come from a family of doctors and my husband is a surgeon himself. So of course I had taken the utmost care of myself during my pregnancy. However, due to some stroke of misfortune, my son had a brain injury at day 3 of his birth leading to delayed developments.” says Mast. HS’s mother.
“At first, everything was going smoothly. We were enjoying being the proud parents. However, when at three months Harish had not achieved his milestones, I started to worry. We met a couple of pediatrics in town, but were not satisfied with the response. Finally, we went to Mumbai for a consultation with a well renowned pediatrician and there, HS was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and the doctor also reported to us that he showed autistic features as his social interactions and responses were poor. Being from the medical field, I was well aware of what Cerebral Palsy was and honestly, it was a shock for me because I was aware about the difficulties involved with the condition.” said HS’s father.
Not giving up, his parents tried everything they could, from physical rehabilitation to private counseling sessions. However, his progress was not what they expected to be. After an interval of progress, his improvements would show a downfall again. This went on for quite a while, until they realized that they needed to look for alternative options for their son. It was then that a colleague of Mast. HS’s father, who is also a doctor, advised them to consult with Dr Alok Sharma and introduced to them the concept of Autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells grafting.
Without further delay, they came down to Mumbai for a consultation with Dr. Alok Sharma at NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute. They were explained at length what autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells grafting is and how it can benefit their son. “Hearing Dr Sharma talk and clearing out doubts it was like a window of hope and a promising future opened for us. I finally felt that we had reached the place we were looking for.” his father said.
Mast. HS underwent autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells grafting for Cerebral Palsy Treatment in India at NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute in May 2014. Along with autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells grafting he was put on an extensive rehabilitation program. The rehabilitation program was customized in a manner such that it benefits him to the maximum limit. The aim of rehabilitation program was to improve his motor performance, to channelize his aggression and to help him develop his vocational skills.
“It’s like a miracle I feel. My son has responded so well to the treatment. We see the change in his behavior now. He has improved several levels on the social front and physically also his balance and coordination have improved. I’m grateful to the entire team at NeuroGen for their efforts into making my son better.” the father said.
Clinical Improvements seen in HS post autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells grafting :
Concentration & attention improved
Drooling of saliva decreased
Cooperation for medicine improved
Become more cheerful
Duration of reflex seizure improved but frequency remained the same.
Head nodding reduced.
Command following improved.
Dynamic sitting balance has improved.
He could do activities like walking, staircase climbing, better, & did not take much visual & tactile stimulus to perform these activities
Posture also improved.
