Pediatric Care

Integrated Care, Multidisciplinary Approach

Managing the symptoms of cerebral palsy (CP) such as pain, muscle stiffness, and coordination problems can prove challenging. Pediatric patients with CP require a team of medical professionals to oversee all aspects of their care. We collaborate with medical specialists, educators, psychologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and social workers with years of experience caring for children with CP and addressing their families’ concerns.

Best Treatment Options for Each Child

Columbia’s orthopedic surgeons are committed to top quality care for patients with cerebral palsy, including surgical and nonsurgical options for foot, leg, hip, and spine problems, and treatment for spasticity to increase mobility, muscle tone, and coordination.

“One of the conditions we find as children with cerebral palsy age into adulthood is increased pain,” says Dr. Joshua Hyman. “It is important to consider early interventions such as surgery to help reduce or even prevent future conditions.”

Assessing if surgery can help your child is a very difficult decision and depends on many factors, the most important being quality of life. In 2011, the Columbia Pediatric Orthopedic Research team published a new assessment tool called Assessment of Caregiver Experience with Neuromuscular Disease (ACEND), now used as a standard across the country to assess the quality of life of patients with neuromuscular disorders (including cerebral palsy) and their caregivers. Setting achievable health-related goals and tracking progress over time is vitally important.

Our CP experts can help you to formulate a treatment plan that includes reasonable expectations and then monitor how mobility, pain, and other indicators change in response to treatment.

Infant Movement Evaluation

The Infant Movement Evaluation (InfantME) Clinic at the Weinberg Family Cerebral Palsy Center (WFCPC) provides comprehensive evaluations of infants who have issues with development of movement. The clinic is led by a Board-Certified Child Neurologist and Pediatric Physical Therapist, who specialize in the evaluation and care of infants with challenges in movement.

CP Genetics Program

Genetics testing can be beneficial to all patients with cerebral palsy. Lead by pediatric neurologist Jennifer M. Bain, MD, Phd, our CP genetics program aims to bring clarity which can lead to refined care plans for families with a CP diagnosis.