Results of a pilot study suggest that the use of external electrical stimuli may help reduce scoliosis and manage its impact in children with severe cerebral palsy. This may represent a new therapeutic option for those who cannot be treated through surgical procedures, which are considered the only effective option…
A video game developed by researchers at Imperial College London was shown to help patients recover from conditions that led to physical impairment by creating a collaborative environment with healthy volunteers, such as therapists and family members. This game-based therapy may represent a new rehabilitation option for patients with illnesses such…
Cells collected from the umbilical cord may hold therapeutic potential to treat children with cerebral palsy. According to the results of a Phase 2 trial, infusion of autologous cord blood (ACB) cells can improve a child’s motor function and brain connectivity. The trial data were reported in the study, “…
The 2017 Strategic Plan for Cerebral Palsy Research is finished and was recently announced by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). The plan identifies several research priorities that have…
Vitamin D supplements during pregnancy reduced the risk of premature births at an urban medical center by 60 percent, a study reports. A key implication of the research is that fewer premature births translate into fewer disorders such as cerebral palsy that are associated with preterm deliveries. Researchers featured the…
Children with cerebral palsy (CP) should be encouraged to engage in regular physical activities starting at an early age and continuing throughout their lifetimes. This is important to counteract sedentary behaviors that increase at about age 5, according to a study published in the…
The combination of standard rehabilitation therapy with Cerebrolysin was found to improve the gross motor skills of pediatric patients living with cerebral palsy (CP), according to results published in the journal Acta Neurologica Belgica. Patients with CP caused by perinatal brain injury due to oxygen deprivation can present several symptoms, including…
Poor growth or delayed puberty in children with cerebral palsy can be symptoms of multiple pituitary hormone deficiency (MPHD), according to a recent report. If MPHD symptoms are recognized early, hormone therapy can help maximize the children’s growth, and also prevent potential complications and associated mortality. The findings resulted from a…
Transplanting stem cells from bone marrow to the spinal canal, where they can reach the cerebrospinal fluid, improves cerebral palsy patients’ movement, a Phase 2 clinical trial indicates. The study, “Outcomes of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells for cerebral palsy: an open label uncontrolled clinical trial,” was…
A majority of children with cerebral palsy are unable to push themselves using manual wheelchairs, but kids with powered wheelchairs are much more independent, researchers found. A study published in the journal BMC Pediatrics analyzed the extent that hand function, upper extremity range of motion, and gross motor function affects independent wheelchair…