Conditions We Treat

Cerebral Palsy Comprehensive Program

Our physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R) doctors, neurologists and other experts direct multispecialty care for cerebral palsy (CP), along with its related conditions and complications.

Cerebral palsy refers to a group of neurodevelopmental disorders. Risk factors include genetic disorders, premature birth and trauma. CP can change how a child’s brain and muscles communicate. It can affect movement, posture, coordination and other functions.

Types of Cerebral Palsy

Phoenix Children’s offers diagnosis and treatment for cerebral palsy conditions, including movement disorders and symptoms or complications of these types of CP:

• Spastic (Hypertonic) Cerebral Palsy – The most common type, usually includes stiff or tight muscles and uncontrollable movements of the face, arms and legs and one or both sides of the body:
  • Spastic diplegia (legs)
  • Spastic quadriplegia (both arms and both legs)
  • Spastic hemiplegia (one arm and one leg on either the right or left side)
• Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy – Difficulty controlling movement of hands, arms and legs, tight or loose muscle tone, and other effects such as trouble swallowing or talking
• Ataxic Cerebral Palsy – Coordination and balance problems, and symptoms such as tremors, poor fine-motor control, and difficulty controlling hands and arms when reaching
• Mixed Cerebral Palsy – Two or more types, such as spastic and dyskinetic

Cerebral Palsy Symptoms and Complications

Symptoms of cerebral palsy can be mild or severe depending on the amount of damage and areas of the brain affected. Symptoms may become more evident as a child develops. For example, babies might have trouble sitting, crawling or walking. Children may struggle to speak, think or move freely.

Common symptoms of cerebral palsy include:

• Abnormal reflexes
• Balance, coordination, movement and posture problems
• Difficulty standing and walking
• Involuntary shaking, twisting or jerking
• Muscle weakness or tightness, including stiff legs or clenched fists
• Poor muscle tone (too tight or too floppy)

Secondary physical complications of CP include:

• Contractures (tight, shortened muscles)
• Crouched gait
• Curved spine (scoliosis)
• Differing leg lengths
• Fatigue from walking or other movement
• Foot and ankle deformities
• Hip dislocation
• Pain

Secondary neurological effects can cause problems such as:

• Attention difficulties
• Bladder problems
• Breathing issues
• Constipation
• Drooling
• Learning disabilities
• Problems with swallowing or sucking
• Problems with hearing, vision or speech
• Seizures (epilepsy)

Cerebral Palsy Associated Conditions

Most children with CP have one or more health issues referred to as cerebral palsy associated conditions. The PM&R and neurology teams at Phoenix Children’s work with other specialists to treat these and other CP-related conditions:

• Autism-spectrum disorders
• Cognitive and behavioral conditions (ADHD, depression, anxiety and others)
• Developmental delays
• Digestive issues
• Dysphagia (swallowing disorder)
• Feeding disorders
• Learning disorders
• Movement disorders
• Physical and mobility Issues
• Respiratory conditions (asthma, bronchitis, lung disease, pneumonia and others)
• Seizures
• Sleep disorders
• Vision problems

CP Diagnosis, Treatment and Care

The PM&R doctors at Phoenix Children’s are your home base for comprehensive cerebral palsy diagnosis, care, education and support. We provide these and other multispecialty therapies and services to treat a variety of conditions and related symptoms or complications:

• Injection treatments
• Inpatient rehabilitation
• Motion Analysis Lab (Gait Lab)
• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
  • Deep brain stimulation (DBS)
  • Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR)
  • Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) pump implantation
  • Single-Event Multilevel Surgeries (SEMLs)
• Orthopedic CP Clinic (subspecialty care, by referral only)
• Physical, occupational and speech therapy
• Physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R)
• Psychology
• Seating and Mobility Clinic
• Surgical Tone Management Clinic

Learn more about cerebral palsy treatments, programs and services.