Active clinical trials for "Cerebral Palsy"

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of umbilical cord blood therapy for children with cerebral palsy.

Children with developmental disabilities often sustain decreased range of motion in their extremities. The decrease in flexibility may be due to neuromuscular disorders such as spasticity or dystonia. Other causes may be imbalance in muscle strength surrounding a joint, leading to inappropriate habitual posture. Over time, muscle contracture may result for those muscle groups that are placed in a shortened position for an extended period of time. The most common site of muscle contractures among these children are gastrocnemius/soleus (lower limbs), and latissimus dorsi muscles (upper limbs). Muscle contractures can lead to further decline in functional abilities. Therefore, it is important to identify effective intervention strategies to enhance or maintain muscle flexibility in children with developmental dysfunctions. Commercially available endermotherapy device has been used to soften scar tissue following burn injuries. The mechanical stimulation applied may also have beneficial effects on relaxing the muscle tissue. The overall aim of the proposed study is to determine whether endermotherapy treatment has immediate effect in improving joint range of motion among children with developmental disabilities. The research hypothesis is that children in the endermotherapy group will have significantly more gain in ankle passive range of motion than those in the control group.

The purpose of this research study was to determine the long term safety and efficacy of repeated treatments with Dysport® used in the treatment of lower limb spasticity in children with dynamic equinus foot deformity due to cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is common. It affects approximately 3 per 1000 children. Hip displacement due to muscle tightness (spasticity) occurs in up to half of the more severely affected children, and many of these children require major (bony) hip surgery. After bony hip surgery the management of pain is very difficult, as spasticity tends to increase and causes painful spasms which are difficult to control. Botulinum Toxin injections are known to reduce spasticity and therefore should also reduce pain. These injections take at least a week to work, but the effects can last for months. Botulinum Toxin is already an established treatment for chronic hip pain prior to surgery. The investigators aim to find out whether Botulinum Toxin injections can reduce post-operative pain. The identification of the level of pain can be challenging because most of these children are unable to communicate verbally. The investigators are therefore using a validated pain scoring tool that was designed especially for such children. This study will be the first to describe fully the pain experience of children with cerebral palsy undergoing this type of major surgery. The investigators will compare Botulinum Toxin injections with placebo (non-active) injections. There is a high emotional and financial burden on the families of these children. Families describe high levels of emotional distress around the time of surgery, particularly when their child is in pain. Difficulty with pain control post operatively may delay discharge from hospital and parental return to work. It causes disrupted sleep for the child and family and may delay the child's return to school. The results of this study will be shared with professionals and families at international conferences and in scientific and popular (patient-based) publications. This study cannot be undertaken in adults with cerebral palsy as they only rarely undergo this sort of surgery.

Our primary aim is to determine whether and how muscle architecture of the quadriceps muscles in cerebral palsy (CP) adapts to two separate training programs: traditional strength training (ST) vs. velocity-enhanced training (VT). For the ST group, we hypothesize that muscle size will increase in conjunction with strength. For the VT group, in addition to the above, we hypothesize that fiber length will increase with measures of muscle power. We also hypothesize that walking velocity will improve in both groups but that knee motion and step length will improve only with VT.

Oral baclofen is used commonly to treat spasticity in children with cerebral palsy. Although for adults there is dosing,safety and efficacy information in the package insert, this is not the case for children. The purpose of this study is to determine how fast the drug is cleared from the body, the correct dose, and long-term safety and efficacy for children with spasticity.

The study is about the effect of an exercise program using stationary bicycling for children with the spastic diplegic form of cerebral palsy. Spastic diplegia is a type of cerebral palsy that involves spasticity or "tightness" of the leg muscles. We hope to learn whether this type of exercise will allow the children to develop improved strength in the muscles that bend and straighten their knees, enhance their level of physical fitness, improve their ability to walk and improve their ability to perform other activities that are important to them. We hypothesize that children who participate in the stationary cycling intervention will gain strength in the muscles that bend and straighten their knees, will be able to complete a 600 yard walk run test (a test of endurance) more rapidly, and will improve their score on a test of function called the Gross Motor Function Measure (a test designed specifically for children with cerebral palsy).

The purpose of this project is to investigate if there is a significant difference in active joint range of motion, questionnaire on gait function and health related quality of life between patients randomized to treatment with Botulinum toxin type A and patients randomized to placebo treatment.

Aquatic intervention had been applied in children with neuromotor impairment for years, yet there has been little progress toward objective identifications of therapy goals, interventions, and outcomes. Thus, we attempt to design aquatic intervention activity for children with cerebral palsy to evaluate the effect of hydrotherapy. Purpose: To evaluate the effects of pediatric aquatic therapy on motor performance, daily activity and social participation in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Method: The study enrolled 27 children with spastic cerebral palsy aged from 4 to 12 years old.These children were dived into two groups: traditional rehabilitation therapy (control group), and hospital based pediatric aquatic therapy program. We evaluate the motor performance, daily activity and social participation before and after the intervention and compared the difference in improvement between groups. The measurements include modified Ashworth score, Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM -66), Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS) , and Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children (CPQOL). Expect effect: We suppose pediatric aquatic therapy in spastic cerebral palsy children could improve motor function and daily activity.Children could improve self-esteem and we hypothesize this could improve social participation.

The objective of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of treatment with intrathecal baclofen for severe spasticity in children with cerebral palsy.