Trust, joy, confidence, and connection with peers are important for any child. Different therapies can be used to facilitate those feelings for children with disabilities, including animal-assisted therapy. Fostering a bond between a human and animal can promote psychological, emotional, and physical well-being. Specifically, horses can help to facilitate those goals in therapies known as…
A January study in The Journal of Nutrition found a link between supplementation of amino acid leucine and improved muscle tone and volume in adolescents and adults with cerebral palsy (CP) (1). Such a link could offer easy relief to various issues stemming from weak or inflamed muscle tissue. Leucine is a part of the…
Cerebral palsy (CP) and brachial plexus injuries both typically manifest in early childhood, as they are often caused by birth injuries (harm to a baby during or near the time of birth). These conditions differ in many ways, including that cerebral palsy is the result of brain damage/abnormalities which can be caused by traumatic birth…
Dysphagia is a condition characterized by persistent difficulty or pain when swallowing. There are many causes of dysphagia, and people of all ages can suffer from it (1). Dysphagia is especially common for children with complex medical needs, with an estimated 30-80% of children with developmental disabilities having some form of dysphagia (2). Children with…
Unilateral (also known as hemiplegic) cerebral palsy affects the motor abilities on one side of the body. Children with unilateral CP usually have impaired upper limb function. For this reason, measuring the movement of the upper limbs is imperative in logging the progress of a patient with unilateral CP (1). In three-dimensional movement analysis (3DMA),…
Cerebral palsy (CP) exists in a variety of different forms, and its symptoms vary significantly from person to person. For instance, while people with severe CP may need a wheelchair to help them get around, people with mild CP might be able to walk just fine on their own (1). All people with CP experience…
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a type of motor disorder characterized by abnormal or involuntary movements. It is often caused by brain damage during or around the time of birth, due to factors such as oxygen deprivation, and is considered a birth injury (1). Many parents want to know if their child’s cerebral palsy can be…
Over the weekend, CBS News told a story of children with various disabilities who attend ballet workshops at the New York City Ballet (1). The New York City Ballet has offered workshops for children with disabilities for the past four years. These classes are run by New York City Ballet Dancers and overseen by resident…
Achilles tendon lengthening (ATL) surgery can help to treat ‘equinus foot,’ also known as tiptoe walking, which is a common symptom of cerebral palsy (CP). However, many children who have ATL surgery experience overcorrection, and end up walking with a crouch gait. Therefore, it would be valuable to identify individual characteristics that could predict the…
Doctors often prescribe botulinum toxin A (botox) injections to patients with cerebral palsy who are ambulatory (able to walk), in order to reduce spasticity. Generally, botox injections are given as part of a combined treatment plan also involving other interventions. However, studies on whether botox injections improve outcomes for children undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation programs have…
