Identification of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit patients at highest risk for cerebral palsy early in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stay can allow for earlier, targeted rehabilitation services starting when the brain is most highly plastic and rapidly developing. Initial Observations Core Questions Research Team

Patients, caregivers and parents are not always satisfied with the outcome of a recommended therapy or surgery because the expectations of doctors, patients, caregivers and parents differ. Initial Observations Core Questions Research Team

Muscle stiffness and contractures are a main concern in cerebral palsy, as they limit mobility. The cause of muscle stiffness is not known. Initial Hypothesis Core Questions Research Team

In addition to funding two traditional seed research grants in 2020, the Foundation funded (provided) a one-time $15,000 local community grant. The local grant aided Ohio families taking care of cerebral palsy persons for whom the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant economic impact. This grant was administered by Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Individuals with CP often struggle to develop motor skills, especially in their arms. Helping those individuals develop these skills will encourage them to enjoy life with their friends and families. This grant examines a new therapy approach to train these skills in a tele-health setting. Initial Observations Core Questions Post Research Results The research was […]

Children with CP can find it difficult to connect with physical therapy, especially if they have coexisting disorders like autism spectrum disorder. Hippotherapy, or physical therapy on horsebacks, can be an interactive way for children with CP to gain motor skills. This grant studies the effectiveness of hippotherapy on CP and ASD.  Initial Observations Core […]

Preterm babies are at greater risk for cerebral palsy. Administration of magnesium sulfate has a preventative effect on preterm labor. Magnesium affects production of microRNAs which are critical for the development of the cells that make myelin/white matter in the brain. If patients with or at risk for cerebral palsy have different microRNAs than healthy […]

CP is associated with high muscle tension and stiffness, which can cause decreased range of motion of an individual’s muscles. Preventing or reversing muscle tension is essential for people with cerebral palsy to engage with the world around them. This grant tests the effectiveness of certain drugs to repair this stiffness. Initial Observations Core Questions […]

Muscle stiffness in cerebral palsy has been associated with an increase in collagen in the space between muscle cells. If collagenase injections reduce stiffness, the need for surgical intervention to achieve the same outcome may be reduced. Core Question Post Research Results Research Team

Children and adults with CP might use a wheelchair, gait-trainer, or other weight-bearing device to aid in mobility. Such an aid is generally referred to as a “supported mobility device” (SMD). Families, patients, and rehabilitation teams decide whether or not to use a SMD and if so, which one to choose. This decision-making process is […]