PathMaker Neurosystems will team up with the Brain and Spine Institute in Paris on clinical trials of a device to help those with neuromotor spasticity, including cerebral palsy (CP) patients, manage their shaking and other symptoms. PathMaker’s goal is to obtain European Union approval of the company’s MyoRegulator, the first neuromodulation device designed…
Stimulating the production of certain types of white blood cells leads to improvements in the development of the nervous system in children with cerebral palsy, according to a study published in the Journal of Translational Medicine.
I have a confession to make: Sometimes I’ll fake a smile. I’ll tug the corners of my mouth taut while my wide eyes stare into the camera. Getting through the day with cerebral palsy and other complex health conditions — the latest of which has me pushing an IV pole…
I’ve got a bad habit of collecting memories I don’t have. I adorn the shelves of my mind with milestones I’ve never reached, organizing them into lavish frames that contrast the emptiness inside. The developmental experiences comprising the majority of days for so many of my peers remain nothing but…
“‘Disabled’ is not a bad word.” I see this phrase pasted across social media with increasing frequency. As much as I appreciate people with disabilities sharing their perspectives, I have to admit, this particular arrangement of words makes my skin quiver. “Disabled” feels like a bad word. I was raised…
Independence is a word I heard tossed around frequently as a child. It hovered above me at Individualized Education Plan meetings in elementary school, and it filled pages for my goals in physical, occupational, and speech therapy. In almost every therapeutic and medical realm, independence appeared to be a…
Inclusion. I see this word flickering across social media frequently these days. As popular as it is on Instagram and Facebook, it was unpopular during most of my years growing up. Yet its significance in the quality of my life, and for the possibilities that illuminated my mind, was enormous.
When I heard the news about the debut of my town’s first drive-in movie theater a few weeks ago, I was elated. A montage of dreamy snapshots flickered across my mind. I pictured myself in the company of friends, tucked in a fluffy blanket. With a canopy of twinkling stars…
“Can you even have sex?” Scooting back on my massage table, I brace myself against the wall. Taken aback by the abrupt question, I consider my response. “Yes, I can.” The truth is I am embarrassed to admit I’ve had this conversation with a few men. Having a physical disability…