Norton Children’s Neuroscience Institute Cerebral Palsy Clinic

The Norton Children’s Neuroscience Institute Cerebral Palsy Clinic is made up of board-certified, fellowship-trained physicians from across the Norton Children’s network of specialists who understand your child’s cerebral palsy. Our team aims to create a holistic, personalized treatment plan to meet your child’s unique needs once they are referred to the clinic.

Our multidisciplinary approach to care allows your child to be evaluated by several pediatric specialists all in the same visit. These specialists share clinic space, working to provide comprehensive, thoughtful evaluation and treatment to help your child move easier, loosen spastic muscles and encourage motor development.

Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that includes several types of disorders that affect the brain and nervous system. Cerebral palsy usually appears before a child turns 3 years old. Signs include:

Babies fail to roll over, sit up, crawl or walk on time
Crouching while walking
Exaggerated reflexes
Poor coordination
Stiff arms or legs
Walking with a limp or on the toes
Weak muscles

We Treat All Cerebral Palsy Types

The disorders that make up cerebral palsy can be described by the way they affect movement, the part of the body affected and the severity of the condition. We treat all types of cerebral palsy, including:

Ataxic cerebral palsy: This type causes issues with balance and coordination, and can cause shaky movement.
Athetoid cerebral palsy: This type causes involuntary and uncontrollable movements.
Diplegia: This type affects both legs.
Dyskinetic: This type causes uncontrollable movements.
Hemiplegia: This type affects one side of the body (an arm and a leg on either the left or right side).
Spastic cerebral palsy: This is the most common type and causes children to have stiff arms or legs and difficulty moving.
Quadriplegia: The arms and legs are affected, with the muscles in the face, mouth and trunk sometimes affected as well.

Cerebral Palsy Treatment

Bimanual training (BIT)
Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT)
Intrathecal baclofen pump
Injections, such as botulinum toxin
Neurosurgery, including selective dorsal rhizotomy
Orthopedic surgery, including soft tissue and tendon lengthening, hip osteotomy, spinal fusion and rhizotomy
Splinting and bracing
Strengthening

Norton Children’s Neuroscience Institute Cerebral Palsy Clinic Specialties

The Norton Children’s Neuroscience Institute Cerebral Palsy Clinic core team consists of board-certified, fellowship-trained physicians, advanced practice providers, therapists, nurses and other health care professionals in various specialties, including:

Neurology
Neurosurgery
Orthopedics
Physical therapy
Pulmonology

Our multidisciplinary team will follow your child as they grow and develop. While cerebral palsy doesn’t progress, meaning it doesn’t get worse or spread, aspects of your child’s cerebral palsy, such as spasticity, can change as a child grows.