How is cerebral palsy (CP) treated?
Currently there is no cure for cerebral palsy, but many treatments and therapies available at Children's Colorado can improve function and quality of life for kids, teens and young adults with CP.
Treatment and therapies can include:
Surgery to address mobility issues associated with cerebral palsy
Children growing up with cerebral palsy often develop mobility issues due to an involuntary tightness in their hip and leg muscles. To help improve mobility for children with cerebral palsy, surgeons at Children’s Colorado can perform different procedures depending on what mobility issue your child may face.
One procedure, focusing on the hips, involves surgery called “femoral varus derotational osteotomy,” or VDRO surgery. The second procedure, focusing on the knees, involves two surgeries called “distal femoral extension osteotomy” and “patellar advancement.” These two procedures address different mobility issues. Watch the videos below to understand the purpose of these procedures, as well as the process of the surgeries, benefits, and recovery times.
Vea este video en nuestro canal de YouTube.
Why choose the Cerebral Palsy Program at Children's Colorado?
At the Cerebral Palsy Program within the Orthopedics Institute, our goal is to maximize function and ensure the best quality of life for children with CP.
Our Cerebral Palsy Program brings together experts from Orthopedic Surgery, Neurosurgery, Rehabilitation, Physical and Occupational Therapies, Pediatrics, Neurology, Genetics, Nutrition, the Center for Gait and Motion Analysis and Adaptive Recreation for Childhood Health. These specialists work as a team to provide the latest and best treatments to help children live to their fullest potential. And because we understand that every child is different, we tailor individual treatment recommendations for each child and their family.
Nationally-ranked CP care for kids near and far
At Children's Colorado, we treat approximately 2,000 kids with CP and related conditions. Most of our patients live in Colorado and neighboring states such as Wyoming, Nebraska, New Mexico, Kansas, Utah, Oklahoma and Texas.
Other children come to us from across the United States and around the world. Patients and their families are willing to travel longer distances to benefit from our team approach, comprehensive treatment and excellent care by world-renowned experts in their field.
Caring for our patients as adults
The team at Children's Colorado is currently researching how cerebral palsy affects the health of adults as they grow and age. Researchers hope to use findings from the Cerebral Palsy Adult Transition Longitudinal Study (CPAT) to support the evolution of care that adults with CP receive.