Category Archives: Cerebral Palsy Treatment

The Kerala Social Security Mission (KSSM) will implement a project Chalanam to help children having cerebral palsy by providing them with a costly drug free of cost for treating chronic spasticity and dystonia. The project will be implemented under the ongoing Thalolam scheme of the department to treat children from financially backward families. To begin with, 100 eligible children will be identified from various parts of the State and their treatment will be conducted at the nearby medical colleges. A total of Rs.50 lakh will be spent for the initiative, which will provide relief for several children who suffer from acute movement disorders such as unusual muscle tightness, stiffness, or pull of muscles. Mission Executive Director T.P. Ashraf says the government plans to invest at least Rs.50,000 for every child identified to provide them quality treatment. The costly drug botulinum toxin, used as a muscle relaxant in cerebral palsy cases, will be given to the screened children after a detailed medical examination. The project will initially cover Thiruvananthapuram district. On completion of the trial, children from other districts too will be screened for the project. As the drugs for treating spasticity are costly, several low-income families have been finding it … Continue reading →

Mar. 21, 2013 When babies are deprived of oxygen before birth, brain damage and disorders such as cerebral palsy can occur. Extended cooling can prevent brain injuries, but this treatment is not always available in developing nations where advanced medical care is scarce. To address this need, Johns Hopkins undergraduates have devised a low-tech $40 unit to provide protective cooling in the absence of modern hospital equipment that can cost $12,000. The device, called the Cooling Cure, aims to lower a newborn's temperature by about 6 degrees F for three days, a treatment that has been shown to protect the child from brain damage if administered shortly after a loss of oxygen has occurred. Common causes of this deficiency are knotting of the umbilical cord or a problem with the mother's placenta during a difficult birth. In developing regions, untrained delivery, anemia and malnutrition during pregnancy can also contribute to oxygen deprivation. In a recent issue of the journal Medical Devices: Evidence and Research, the biomedical engineering student inventors and their medical advisors reported successful animal testing of the Cooling Cure prototype. The device is made of a clay pot, a plastic-lined burlap basket, sand, instant ice-pack powder, temperature sensors, … Continue reading →

22 March 2013 Students at Johns Hopkins University have designed a low-cost, therapeutic hypothermia device designed to prevent brain damage in new born babies. When babies are deprived of oxygen before birth, brain damage and disorders such as cerebral palsy can occur. Extended cooling can prevent brain injuries, but this treatment is not always available in developing nations where advanced medical care is scarce. Source: Will Kirk/Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins students designed this low-cost prototype to cool and prevent brain damage in oxygen-deprived babies in developing regions where advanced medical care is unavailable To address this need, Johns Hopkins undergraduates have devised a low-tech $40 unit to provide protective cooling in the absence of modern hospital equipment that can cost $12,000. Dubbed Cooling Cure, the device aims to lower a newborns temperature by about 6oF for three days, a treatment that has been shown to protect the child from brain damage if administered shortly after a loss of oxygen has occurred. Common causes of this deficiency are knotting of the umbilical cord or a problem with the mothers placenta during a difficult birth. In developing regions, untrained delivery, anaemia and malnutrition during pregnancy can also contribute to oxygen deprivation. … Continue reading →

Austin, TX (PRWEB) March 21, 2013 Families affected by cerebral palsy have an opportunity on Monday, March 25, National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day, to raise much-needed awareness about CP, dispel misconceptions and encourage giving to CP research. People need to know that cerebral palsy is the most common motor disorder of childhood, affecting one in every 303 children born in the U.S., said Lee Vander Loop, CP Family Network editor and mother of a daughter with cerebral palsy. Even so, research funding for CP lags behind other childhood disorders affecting fewer children, she noted. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, $23 million was spent on cerebral palsy research in 2011. This falls far behind funding for other conditions including autism ($169 million), childhood leukemia ($59 million), and epilepsy ($152 million). In addition, "organizations in many states are facing federal funding cuts that may compromise their ability to serve those with cerebral palsy in their communities," Vander Loop said. By raising awareness of cerebral palsy, we hope to foster greater understanding, empathy and support for the more than 800,000 Americans living with CP, she added. What we hope follows is greater support for research … Continue reading →

ARDSLEY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOR) today announced data from a Phase 1 study that showed a single dose of 20 mg Diazepam Nasal Spray had comparable plasma bioavailability to 20 mg of diazepam rectal gel. Diazepam Nasal Spray is being developed for the treatment of people with epilepsy who experience cluster seizures, also known as acute repetitive seizures. These pharmacokinetic data were presented at the 65th American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA. Currently, the rectally-administered form of diazepam is the only FDA-approved outpatient therapy for people with epilepsy who experience cluster seizures. We believe that a nasal spray formulation offers a more accessible and socially acceptable therapeutic alternative dosage form for people with epilepsy, said Enrique Carrazana, M.D., Acordas Chief Medical Officer. This new mode of diazepam delivery can provide an important new treatment option for people with epilepsy and their caregivers. This was an open-label crossover study conducted in 24 healthy volunteers, who received a single dose of 20 mg diazepam nasal spray and a single dose of 20 mg diazepam rectal gel. Both the nasal spray and rectal gel were generally well tolerated and showed similar safety profiles, with mild nasal … Continue reading →

ST. LOUIS (KSDK) - It's a mission of super hero proportions. A man with cerebral palsy is reaching out to help children with the same disorder. The idea is, if you feel like a super hero, you can act like one. "I want to show them that it's possible to do what you can do while you can do it, as long as you try," said Marty Gregoire. Gregoire had to undergo multiple surgeries just to walk. Now, he runs a 5K every single month. He motivates himself by motivating others. He founded the Capes for Kids program, which provides personally monogrammed super-hero capes for children facing surgery or taking an important step in their CP treatment. Gregoire is from New York, but on Thursday his work reached all the way to St. Louis. Maya received her super hero cape to help her through recovery from a tough surgery at St. Louis Children's Hospital. She had the same procedure that Gregoire had about eight years ago. She was one of two patients to receive capes at Children's Hospital Thursday. KSDK Excerpt from: Man makes sick kids feel like super heroes … Continue reading →

Buy This Photo John Garcia/Standard-Times special Tiffany DeBarros, who suffers from a neuroendocrine disease in addition to cerebral palsy, does not give in, and still manages a beautiful smile. By JOHN GARCIA March 17, 2013 12:00 AM NEW BEDFORD Tiffany DeBarros never let the fact that she was born with cerebral palsy get her down. She was in the top 20 percent of her class at Greater New Bedford Vocational-Technical High School, where she participated in a number of activities and graduated in 2005. And last May, she earned a master's degree in counseling from the University of Connecticut and looked forward to a fulfilling career in her chosen field. Even though DeBarros, 26, had struggled with a variety of puzzling ailments for the past seven years, she persevered. With a pair of Canadian crutches the kind with cuffs for the arms she forged on. Then, in October, her health took a sharp decline that marked the beginning of a three-month period of stays in various hospitals, rehab facilities, and nursing homes. Her muscles became so weakened that she couldn't walk. Finally, in January, she was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine illness, a pituitary and hypothalamic disorder. Doctors are still trying … Continue reading →

Buy photos Paradise Forum played the gig for Georgia at the Slug and Lettuce. s A BROMSGROVE pub has raised more than 600 for the Hope for Georgia campaign, which was set up to help Bromsgrove toddler Georgia Almquest. The appeal is aimed at funding specialist stem cell treatment for two-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer Georgia, who is unable to hold her head up, sit or crawl. The stem cell peocedure provides her with her only chance of being able to walk. The 600 was raised by the Slug and Lettuce from a charity night held last month. That featured a performance from indie band Paradise Forum (pictured) and a raffle of prizes donated by local businesses. They included a 100 gift voucher from designer clothes shop Block 98, a makeover session at Profiles hair and beauty salon, Artrix cinema tickets, zumba classes at Passion4Dance, dance classes with Elite Performing Arts and a signed Manchester United football. General manager James Morrall said the evening was a huge success and the atmosphere was amazing. We are truly thankful to the local businesses who kindly donated prizes for the raffle, to our fabulous customers who dug deep in their pockets on the night … Continue reading →

ARDSLEY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Acorda Therapeutics, Inc.(Nasdaq:ACOR) will present new research data at the 65th American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting on AMPYRA(dalfampridine) Extended Release Tablets, 10 mg, an FDA-approved therapy indicated to improve walking in people with multiple sclerosis, and Diazepam Nasal Spray, an investigational therapy for the treatment of cluster seizures, also known as acute repetitive seizures, in people with epilepsy. Acorda is focused on improving the lives of people with neurological disorders. We currently are developing seven therapies for a range of conditions, including multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and spinal cord injury, saidRon Cohen, M.D., Acorda Therapeutics President and CEO. Our presentations at AAN include new studies on AMPYRA and the first clinical data presented on Diazepam Nasal Spray. These studies have increased our understanding of the potential roles these therapies could have in addressing the urgent needs of patients with these conditions. Data being presented on Acorda-developed therapies at the AAN annual meeting include: More detailed information on scientific sessions and data presentations at the AAN annual meeting can be found on the conference website (http://www.aan.com/go/am13). Important Safety Information Do not take AMPYRA if you have ever had a seizure or have certain types of kidney problems. Take … Continue reading →

When a baby is born, medical professionals routinely throw away a sick child's potential lifeline. Dr. Hugh Miller of Obstetrix Medical Group, 5301 E. Grant Road, is working to establish the upside of storing umbilical cord blood, which contains stem cells that doctors may someday be able to use to heal a variety of medical conditions. Miller, Cord Blood Registry and the Save the Cord Foundation created the Newborn Possibilities Program. Cord Blood Registry processes and stores cord blood stem cells, for babies born after high-risk deliveries, for use in future treatments. Miller chose participants by establishing an algorithm to identify pregnant mothers whose fetuses were at risk of developing cerebral palsy and other neurological problems. Between 2009 and 2011, the program selected 1,200 babies. Cord Blood Registry pays for the cord blood collection, processing and storage in the registry's stem cell processing and storage facility. Costs can be prohibitive for parents who want to store cord blood. Banking costs about $2,000 initially, then between $100 and $200 a year. Marana resident Jessica Schaefer, whose 2-year-old son, Logan, is participating in the study, is eager to discover the treatment's potential. A subsequent study has been crucial for Schaefer, a 36-year-old … Continue reading →