Cerebral Palsy Clinic
Your child’s physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R) doctors and other experts at Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s together with other specialists guide you through treatment and put you in touch with available resources and support.
Adaptive Equipment and Support for CP
Doctors may recommend oral medication to manage symptoms, along with other therapies and services. Your care team will offer personalized assistance with selection and proper use of supportive equipment and devices such as:
- Communication boards
- Crutches, walkers and wheelchairs
- Orthotics (braces and splints)
- Special eating utensils
- Wheelchairs
Cerebral Palsy Treatments and Services
Your child’s treatment plan may include these or other therapies and services as directed by your doctors and care team:
- Injection treatments
- Inpatient rehabilitation
- Motion Analysis Lab (Gait Lab)
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- 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
Surgery for Cerebral Palsy and Related Conditions
Life with cerebral palsy can include a wide array of challenges. Children may have or develop complications such as hip dislocations, foot deformities or spinal disorders that affect a child’s ability to sit comfortably, walk or enjoy everyday activities. In addition to preventive rehabilitative care, doctors may recommend surgery to:
- Decrease pain
- Improve bone and muscle alignment
- Improve the way your child walks
- Stop a deformity from getting worse
Neurosurgical Procedures
Your child may be referred to a neurosurgeon from Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s to discuss minimally invasive and open surgical procedures such as:
- Deep brain stimulation (DBS)
- Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR)
- Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) pump implantation
Single-Event Multilevel Surgeries (SEMLs)
Studies show that children can benefit from having multiple procedures during a single surgery. Surgeons correct bone and tissue problems in two or more areas. This reduces the need for additional procedures and shortens recovery time.