Cerebral Palsy Clinic

We know the symptoms of cerebral palsy are different for every child and we tailor your child's care accordingly. Our Cerebral Palsy Clinic treats the orthopedic aspects of the condition, including muscle weakness or stiffness, poor motor control, unsteady gait and spasticity, or shaking of the arms or legs.

Phoenix Children’s physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R) doctors, neurologists and other experts offer complete care for children with cerebral palsy (CP). We’re your home base for multispecialty evaluation and treatment of cerebral palsy and related conditions.

A PM&R specialist will diagnose your child’s condition and guide your child’s care, involving other providers as needed. Our teams can help your child move, function and feel better. In addition to managing symptoms, we improve mobility and prevent complications to help keep your child as active as possible.

The PM&R team at Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s works with leading scientists to discover and apply new ways to help children with cerebral palsy and other movement disorders.

Cerebral palsy is a brain injury present at birth. It is an umbrella term for a group of neurodevelopmental disorders. They affect how a child’s brain and muscles communicate and function. Children with CP may have stiff, tight muscles that are difficult or painful to move. Some experience uncontrollable reflexes and muscle movements, spasms and other challenges. Learn more about cerebral palsy in our Phoenix Children’s Cerebral Palsy booklet.

Cerebral palsy can affect:

• Balance
• Body movement
• Communication and speech
• Coordination Muscle control and tone (too tight or too loose)
• Posture

There are several types of cerebral palsy. The type will depend on the part of the brain injured and the severity of injury. Our diagnostic specialists will discuss your child’s symptoms and related types and classifications of cerebral palsy. Learn more about cerebral palsy and related conditions we treat.

At your child’s first appointment with a PM&R or neurology specialist, we’ll evaluate your child and recommend treatment. Then we’ll continue to oversee your child’s care. We involve other providers as needed across multiple areas of medicine. Your child and family will get help finding and using splints, walkers, wheelchairs, and other devices and equipment. Learn more about cerebral palsy treatments and services at Phoenix Children’s.

Our cerebral palsy teams offer comprehensive care and services, guided by our PM&R doctors and neurologists from Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s as well as other experts. We work together across specialties to find new, cutting-edge ways to help families and children of all ages. Our contributions include:

• Cerebral Palsy Research Network (CPRN) Center of Excellence – Phoenix Children’s and other top children’s hospitals work together to improve care and quality of life for children with cerebral palsy.
• Researchers from Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s, including Dr. Michael Kruer, and other doctors are leaders in genomic analysis, research and scientific innovations to understand and treat CP.
• Members of the Pediatric International Deep Brain Stimulation (PEDiDBS) network – Our teams work with other research and clinical care leaders to advance the treatment of movement disorders through deep brain stimulation.