IMPROVING COGNITIVE AND EMOTIONAL FUNCTIONING IN INTRACTABLE EPILEPSY IN CHILDREN: AN AYURVEDIC APPROACH

Epilepsy is defined as a disorder of brain characterised by an enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures, and by neurobiological, cognitive, psychological and social consequences of this condition. Intractable epilepsy is defined as occurrence of one or more seizures per month, despite a trial of the correct AEDs in adequate doses for 2 years. Long term oral AED therapy is the mainstay of epilepsy treatment. In spite of recent advancement in understanding the disease process and its management, up to 40% of epileptics are not at all responding satisfactorily to medicines. Each of the seizure episode causes a permanent defect in the neurons and thus leading to a life long disability. So an intervention which is capable of controlling the seizures and at the same time improving the domains of development leading to an improvement in quality of life is essential.10 children of the age group 3-12 years suffering from intractable epilepsy attending the OPD of Department of Kaumarabhritya were screened using cognitive and emotional functioning in childhood epilepsy questionnaire and Kooshmanda swarasa ghrita was administered for a period of 90 days and changes in quality of life was assessed. This showed a statistically significant result with p < 0.05. The study proved the efficacy of Kooshmanda Swarasa Ghrita in improving the cognitive and emotional functioning in childhood epilepsy.