Normal levels of platelets in babies can be crucial to prevent brain bleeds during pregnancy or around the time of birth, and protect them against cerebral palsy (CP), according to a recent preclinical study. The study, funded by the Cerebral Palsy…
A recent study has characterized the clinical profile of teens with cerebral palsy (CP) who are entering adulthood, and how that has changed over the last decades. Over 30 years, there have been improvements in motor function over time in patients becoming young adults; however, the number of those…
Intrathecal baclofen pump (ITB) can be more effective than deep brain stimulation (DBS) for relieving involuntary muscle contractions (dystonia) and pain associated with cerebral palsy (CP), a case report suggests. The study, “Outcomes of Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy Compared With Deep Brain Stimulation in…
Selective dorsal rhizotomy, a surgery that lessens spasticity (muscle stiffness) in children with cerebral palsy, does not reduce their energy consumption during walking, a retrospective study has found. The study, “Spasticity reduction in children with cerebral palsy is not associated with reduced energy consumption during walking,” was…
Coaching caregivers helps empower families of infants at high risk of cerebral palsy (CP), and may help improve their quality of life — highlighting the importance of family-centered care, a study suggests. The study, “LEARN2MOVE 0–2 years, a randomized early intervention trial for infants at very high risk…
A researcher from the University of Arizona (UA) College of Medicine at Phoenix won a $3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to identify and study the possible genetic causes behind cerebral palsy, the most common motor disability in childhood. Michael Kruer,…
Monitoring mirror movements in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP) due to perinatal stroke may be a useful clinical marker to determine motor disability severity. It also may be helpful in selecting patients for personalized rehabilitation. Those findings are in…
Surgical removal of salivary glands to treat drooling in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) increases the number of white spots in their teeth, which must be treated promptly to avoid complications such as caries (cavities), a study finds. The…
Babies able to switch on a mechanism — while still inside their mothers’ wombs — to protect themselves against inflammation are at lower risk of brain bleeds, cerebral palsy (CP), or death, according to a recent study. This protection depends on the fetuses’ ability to produce a protein called haptoglobin, which may serve…
Strength training has the potential to reduce muscle weakness and improve walking ability of children with cerebral palsy (CP), but should be adapted to each child’s muscle response, a study reports. The study, “Strength Training…