Prenatal steroid treatment protects the brains of premature babies against hemorrhages, reducing by half the risk of severe hemorrhaging and the possible development of related neurologic problems such as cerebral palsy, researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine reported. Their study, “Impact of antenatal steroids on intraventricular hemorrhage in very-low-birth…
Normal development in children with cerebral palsy is associated with feeding habits and non-small gestational development, according to a study titled “Growth during infancy and early childhood in children with cerebral palsy: a population-based study,” published in the journal Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. The study’s…
Botulinum toxin may be best known as a poison, or as a cosmetic treatment to reduce wrinkles called Botox. But the toxin is sometimes used to reduce muscle spasticity in children with cerebral palsy (CP), and a recent study evaluated a new clinical device that might assess the effectiveness of botulinum toxin injections in kids with CP. The…
Researchers report that the use of ankle-foot orthoses, or AFOs, improve the backward margin of stability in children with cerebral palsy (CP) diplegia, a form of the condition affecting both sides of the body. The study, presented at the American Academy of…
Cerebral palsy (CP) can be caused by infections, both in the pregnant mother and in newborns. Researchers from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, showed that infections lead to different types of cerebral palsy, depending on if it is the mother or the child who is affected. While…
New Zealand researchers reported that whole-body vibration training in adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) has a range of benefits, including better functional capacity, more muscle and bone mass, and increased bone mineral density. Studies have recently showed that whole-body vibration training in children with reduced mobility increases leg muscle function and bone mass. Few studies…
Researchers in China investigating the efficacy and safety of magnesium sulfate supplementation as a neuroprotective agent for preterm infants treated in utero, reported that its use is safe and beneficial for babies at risk of a premature birth, despite findings of potentially harmful side effects in their mothers. The article, by researchers at…
Up-to-date demographic trends and the prevalence of children being born with cerebral palsy (CP) in the United States were the focus of a recent study, “Birth Prevalence of Cerebral Palsy: A Population-Based Study,“ that appeared in the journal Pediatrics. A research team led by Kim Van Naarden Braun…
The Cerebral Palsy Family Network (CPFN), a nonprofit organization and advocacy group founded in 2006 by parents of children with cerebral palsy and My Advocates legal team, recently launched a new Internet television show called “Cerebral Palsy Family Network TV” (CPFN TV). The TV show, first aired March 1 for…
The levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in the blood correlate with disease severity in some forms of cerebral palsy, according to a study, “Plasma Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) Levels Correlate with Disease Severity in Spastic Diplegia, Triplegia, and Quadriplegia in Children with Cerebral Palsy,” published in the…