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.
Key words: Cerebral palsy (CP), Vatavyadhi, Herbal treatment, Medicinal plants.
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