Cerebral palsy describes a group of chronic disorders that impair the ability to control body movement and posture. These disorders result from injury to the motor areas of the brain. Cerebral palsy affects two to six infants out of every 1,000 births, and it's the most common handicapped disorder in the U.S. Cerebral palsy may occur while the infant is still in the womb or after birth and is usually not detectable during a child's first year of life. Patients with mild cerebral palsy may only have a minor limp or an uncoordinated walk, while cerebral palsy patients with severe cases will require care and supervision throughout their lives.
The Cleveland Clinic was among the first hospitals in the nation to perform selective dorsal rhizotomy, a procedure that can permanently reduce spastic muscles and improve muscle function for some children with cerebral palsy. Our Rhizotomy Clinic brings together pediatric neurosurgeons, pediatric orthopaedic surgeons and physical and occupational therapists to optimize your child’s care and treatment for cerebral palsy. Computer quantitative gait analysis also can be used to evaluate and monitor progress of our patients in the Gait Analysis Lab.
