Cerebral Palsy Clinic

Cerebral palsy is a neurological disability caused by a non-progressive brain injury, malformation or genetic condition impacting the developing brain. It is an umbrella term for a group of differing disorders resulting in impaired brain control over a child’s body movements, tone, coordination and balance. Common manifestations include muscle tightness, spasms, contractures and uncontrolled movement. Other functions can also be affected including cognition/intelligence, speech and language, feeding, and vision and hearing, Epilepsy is a relatively common association as well. Learn more about cerebral palsy in our Phoenix Children’s Cerebral Palsy booklet.

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 cerebral palsy specialist, we will evaluate your child, make or confirm a diagnosis and recommend treatment. Cerebral palsy is a chronic condition, and we will continue to partner with you through your child’s journey, providing an individualized care plan, and referring to additional specialists and resources as needed. We will also help identify educational and community resources to assist you in this journey. Learn more about cerebral palsy treatments and services at Phoenix Children’s.

Our cerebral palsy team offers comprehensive and compassionate interdisciplinary care and services through Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s, the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and our rehabilitations specialists (physical, occupational and speech therapy experts). We are actively involved in research and innovative, cutting-edge therapies directed at diagnosing and managing cerebral palsy. Our contributions include:

• Cerebral Palsy Research Network (CPRN) Center of Excellence – Phoenix Children’s is a charter member and part of the CPRN network which is the largest and most comprehensive national collaborative working together to establish gold standards of care and improve health outcomes for people with CP.
• Genetic research on the understanding of cerebral palsy – Researchers from Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s, including Michael Kruer, MD, 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 team is a pioneer in deep brain stimulation and works with other research and clinical care leaders to advance the treatment of movement disorders through deep brain stimulation.