Pediatric Movement Disorders

The Pediatric Movement Disorders Program at Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's provides comprehensive care for a wide range of conditions affecting movement, muscle tone and posture. This includes cerebral palsy, brain or spine injuries, tremors, tics and various neurological disorders.

Our program is led by experienced specialists with advanced training which allows them to manage these complex conditions through a multidisciplinary approach and ensures each patient receives personalized care and treatment.

By integrating advanced medical therapies, rehabilitation services and supportive care, we strive to enhance the quality of life for children dealing with these challenging movement disorders. We use advanced diagnostics and genetic testing to identify and understand the underlying causes of each child's neurological condition, enabling us to develop individualized treatment plans.

Our team collaborates closely with experts throughout Phoenix Children’s in neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), neuropsychology, psychiatry, psychology and neuroradiology. This integrated approach ensures that every aspect of the child's condition is addressed, fostering optimal outcomes and improving well-being.

We also specialize in diagnosing and treating rare pediatric movement disorders including:

Paroxysmal dyskinesias– A group of movement disorders characterized by attacks of increase in muscular activity that can result in excessive abnormal movements, excessive normal movements or a combination of both.
Opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome– A rare neurological disorder marked by involuntary eye movements, muscle jerks and coordination issues.
Neurogenetic disorders– Conditions caused by changes in genes and chromosomes that affect the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles.

Our team leverages our comprehensive knowledge, as well as national and international collaborative networks to deliver effective treatments, enhancing our patients' development, health and quality of life.

In addition to direct treatment, we take a comprehensive approach to care, recognizing and addressing coexisting conditions that often accompany these disorders. These may include anxiety, ADHD, autism-spectrum disorders, epilepsy, genetic conditions and learning disabilities. Our integrated approach ensures that we provide support not only to our patients but also to their families, addressing all aspects of their well-being. This commitment to care enables us to offer the best possible outcomes and improve the quality of life for children and their families.

The Pediatric Movement Disorders Program at Phoenix Children’s is distinguished for its advanced fellowship training opportunities and we offer deep brain stimulation for children and adolescents.

Specialty Care

At Phoenix Children’s, our patients receive advanced clinical care led by specialists who treat both common and rare neurological conditions, including:

Cerebral palsy – A neurological disability caused by a non-progressive brain injury, malformation or genetic condition impacting the developing brain. Cerebral palsy 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.
Rare pediatric movement disorders – Specialists diagnose and treat rare conditions such as chorea, parkinsonism, tremor, ataxia and others, including rare genetic disorders.
Tourette and tic disorders – Tics and Tourette syndrome are neurological disorders characterized by sudden, repetitive, involuntary movements or sounds. Tics can range from simple motor actions, such as blinking or head jerking, to complex movements or vocalizations.

Advanced Treatment Options

Our neurology programs and services includes expertise and a full range of treatment options for movement disorders, including:

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) – to ease involuntary muscle movements
Injection treatments – targeted medical therapies such as botulinum toxin and phenol for muscle tone and movement disorders
Intrathecal baclofen pump (ITB) – for efficient delivery of medication for muscle and posture problems
Motion analysis lab – to evaluate and guide your child’s progress
Rehabilitation services – intensive rehabilitative care is available, if needed, before transitioning to outpatient rehabilitation services
Seating and Mobility Clinic – for evaluation and use of medical equipment and devices that make your child’s life easier
Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) – to target the specific nerves causing spasticity (severe muscle tightness)
Surgical Tone Management Clinic – for evaluation and treatment of infants, children and adolescents with high muscle tone (spasticity and/or dystonia)

Research & Clinical Trials

Our team at Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's understands the importance of research in advancing medical care and is dedicated to integrating the latest scientific discoveries into clinical practice. This dedication allows us to continually refine and improve our treatments and strategies, ensuring we offer the most effective and innovative care possible.

Our nationally recognized providers are actively involved in research, including gene discovery to help identify the underlying genetic factors of movement disorders and cerebral palsy, develop targeted and innovative therapies and advance our understanding of these complex conditions. Our pursuit of excellence in clinical care is driven by continuous evaluation, quality enhancement and innovation. This focused approach enables us to develop and advance new treatments and strategies for managing complex neurological conditions, including pediatric movement disorders. Additional information about our advanced clinical research and breakthroughs can be found on our Research & Clinical Trials web section.

As part of Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s, Kruer Lab researchers investigate the genetic basis of childhood movement disorders disease to improve care and quality of life for kids with nervous system disorders. Qualified patients may be eligible to participate in our clinical research.

Ask your child’s doctor if you are interested in current research or clinical trials related to their condition.