Baby Inaya has become the youngest kid in the world to receive a stem cell therapy for cerebral palsy done through a first-of-its kind surgical intervention involving cellular therapy and regenerative medicine at Mumbai based StemRx Hospital.

The biggest advantage in this case is that, Inaya is still in her growth phase and thus, her response to treatment is faster and more effective than that observed in older individuals. “When baby’s mother came to see me with the investigation reports, it was a very challenging decision as baby’s age was very less. Investigation was done to understand her condition for stem cell treatment,” said Dr  Paradeep Mahajan, stem cell surgeon and medical director at StemRx Hospital.

The therapy involved the collection of bone marrow from the hip bone of the patient by using a thin needle to mini-puncture the skin under local anesthesia and then implanting it onto the patient’s body through the process of intravenous administration or Lumbar puncture.

Lumbar puncture is the procedure of taking fluid from the spine in the lower back through a hollow needle.

Dr Mahajan with a team of stem cell experts successfully treated 16 months old baby Inaya through an individualised set of sessions of cellular therapy over a period of 21 days.

The answer to Inaya’s recovery are Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which have strong self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation potentials. These progenitor cells have the ability to differentiate into cells of different lineages such as tissues of the skeletal, muscle systems etc.

In India, 1 in every 500 children born is affected by cerebral palsy. Stem cell therapy is a boon for the country going by the fact that around 70,000 children are born in a day in India.

Dr. Mahajan informed that the child has undergone three sessions till date. After the 3rd session, the intensity of epileptic attacks has reduced tremendously. She seems to respond to voice commands and her eye movements have improved. She has also started moving her legs.

At about 6 months of age, Inaya got 1st fits/epileptic attack.  Later it was noticed that she started getting fits anytime during the day.  

Dr Mahajan further explained, “Baby Inaya started crying after 3rd session of treatment. The child was born in January 2015 as a normal child with low birth weight. However, in the first week following birth her parents noticed that her wrists appeared bent and her feet were pointing downwards.”

At about 3 months of age, it was noticed that her eye and neck movements were jerky and random. This was a time when her parents consulted doctors who prescribed medications and nutrient supplements.

Recounting the challenges faced before the therapy, baby Inaya’s mother Namrata Ashok Chavan said, “During a seizure episode, she would curl completely. Inaya was unable to lift or move her legs and would bend her elbows and hold her hands at chest level. After noticing continues fits we consulted a paediatrician and neurologist. MRI brain was suggested to find out the reason for fits.”

Evidence suggests that MSCs can migrate to the brain and improve function following injury. The mechanism underlying the function of stem cell transplantation in nerve repair may involve cell replacement function and neurotrophic effect.

MSCs can be induced to differentiate into neuron-like cells and glial cells. Furthermore, MSCs induce angio-genesis (blood supply) due to the release of growth factors, thus improving blood circulation in the injured regions or creating a micro-environment that is favourable for the regeneration.