Kochi: FIve-year.old Ayaan I Shafl Ahmed smiles, asks questions and poses for a photograph with glee. For his mother; Samrin Shafl who resides in Kochi, It is a major development In her child’s growth as her son suffers from cerebral palsy and would just say two or three words with great difficulty. He would move around with the aid of a walker. His parents realized that their child has a neurological disorder right at birth they are blood-related. Immediately birth, he was shifted to NICU for 35 days. Investigations during the hospital stay had Indicated brain damage. Doctors confirmed the diagnosis of cerebral palsy when the child was two-and-a-half years old. ‘After several sets of treatment, we found that stem cell solutions could be an answer Ayaan underwent a stem cell therapy in which his own bone marrow cells were used,’ said Samarin. Doctors at Mumbai’s NuroGen Brain and Spine Institution found that he had tightness In both hands and le and this affected his mobility He had a bent in his body and he was aggressive would bite others. “The therapy involves two injections. One to take his bone marrow and another to Inject it beck after It has been multiplied in the lab. Then we started therapy sessions,” said director f the institute Dr Alok Sharma, who heads the neuro surgery wing of LTM Medical College Sion.
Dr Sharma said that it was time that doctors here also took up ‘autologous (from one’s own body) stem cell therapy “In children below 10, the prog ress is quick. We can cure cerebral palsy muscular dystrophy and autism. In adults, we can treat complete paralys is, stroke etc. Ideally hospitals In Kerala should take It up ma big way” he said.
