A screening test that evaluates the function of facial muscles that control breathing and chewing may be a valuable tool to assess children with cerebral palsy, a Turkish study suggests. The study, “Assessment of orofacial dysfunction using the NOT-S method in a group of Turkish children with…
Adding electrical stimulation to an injection of botulinum toxin doesn’t produce an added benefit in children with cerebral palsy, a new study suggests. The study, “Effectiveness of electrical stimulation after administration of botulinum toxin in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy: A prospective, randomized clinical study,” was published…
Analysis of minerals and essential elements present in the hair may help identify children with cerebral palsy and clarify the link between the disorder and psychomotor delay or certain diseases, a study suggests. The results, “A Case-Control Study of Essential and Toxic Trace Elements and Minerals in…
Children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP) have a preserved ability to imagine grasping with both hands, according to a new study. The findings suggest that tapping into that ability during rehabilitation therapy could help recover hand function and upper limb movements in children with CP. The research, “…
Myobloc (rimabotulinumtoxinB) injections have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat adults with chronic sialorrhea, or drooling, a condition that’s often experienced by patients with cerebral palsy. Sialorrhea, commonly known as drooling, refers to an overflow of saliva production. The condition often…
Adults with cerebral palsy have a higher risk of developing heart and lung diseases, but not cancer or type 2 diabetes, compared with adults who do not have the disease, according to a study. The results, “Noncommunicable disease among adults with cerebral palsy,” were…
A new way of measuring arm movements, aimed at children with unilateral cerebral palsy (uCP), shows strong reliability in children going through normal development. This finding was published in the Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, in the paper “Proposal of a new 3D bimanual protocol for…
The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) has awarded postdoctoral bioengineer Xuan Liu a $70,000 Switzer Research Fellowship for mobility research in cerebral palsy (CP). The merit award will fund “Biofeedback gait retraining for stiff knee correction: Multi-joint adaptation in children with…
A structured home-based exercise program can improve walking ability in children with cerebral palsy (CP), a new has study found. Results of the research, “Structured home-based exercise program for improving walking ability in ambulant children with cerebral palsy,” were published in Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. Physical…
Transplanting stem cells from the bone marrow to the spinal canal — where they can reach the brain — improves motor function and muscle tone in people with cerebral palsy (CP) related to jaundice, an open-label study shows. The study, “Improvement in gross motor function…