Comprehensive Cerebral Palsy Program
Providing Holistic Care for Children, Adolescents and Adults With Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy Program
The Comprehensive Cerebral Palsy (CP) Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital provides cutting-edge care for people with CP during their lifespan. Every person seen in our clinic has access to a team of doctors who are experts in different types of medical care. This multidisciplinary approach to care means the team works together to help support the best quality of life for each patient. The CP Program emphasizes excellence in clinical care while focusing on research to improve outcomes for children and adults with CP.
Cerebral Palsy Care for Your Lifetime
Cerebral palsy is a complex condition and affects each person in a different way. The Cerebral Palsy (CP) Program at Nationwide Children’s takes a holistic approach to care, factoring in the physical, mental and family needs of everyone seen in our clinic.
We understand that it takes a team of health care experts from many specialties to provide the most thorough care for your child. Parents and caregivers are equally important in the treatment process. No one knows your child better than you do. We make sure you understand the diagnosis and how we plan to treat your child. Working together provides the best outcomes for our patients and families, now and into the future.
Treating Cerebral Palsy at Nationwide Children's
Even though there is no cure for cerebral palsy (CP), there are treatments that can improve the quality of life for people who have the condition. These treatments can help reduce the effects of CP. They also can help people learn ways of adapting to their movement difficulties.
Children can have different types and degrees of CP, so treatment will vary for every child. The main form of treatment is outpatient therapy.
Surgical treatment is another option. Selective dorsal rhizotomy, or SDR, is a surgery on the spine. It is done to help reduce spasticity.
Meet the Cerebral Palsy Program Team
It's not just who treats your child that makes a difference at Nationwide Children's. It's how your child is treated here. The cerebral palsy team love treating kids. Helping kids feel better is our purpose and what drives the team each day. It's why we do what we do. Our team includes experts in complex care; physical medicine and rehabilitation; orthopedics; neurology; neurosurgery; nursing; physical, occupational, and speech therapies; nutrition; and social work. Cerebral palsy affects children in different ways. Your child's team of specialists work together to treat your child's unique needs.
Why Choose Nationwide Children's for Your Children's CP Care
The cornerstone of our program is providing a full scope of care to people with CP. From establishing care and annual follow-up to orthopedic or neurosurgical intervention, there is a clinic to address each person's needs. Every clinic includes specialists from different disciplines. The specialties in a clinic vary depending on the individual’s needs and may include:
- Speech Therapy
- Nursing
- Nutrition
- Social Work
- Orthotics
- Care Coordination
Every patient who enters our program receives their own care plan. During a clinic visit, the team collaborates with the family and begins the process of making a family-centered, evidence-based, and individualized care plan. The care plans include each provider’s recommendations and goals; who will do it and how it will be done; and expected outcomes. Nursing and care coordinators complete the care plans and send them to your family, primary care provider, and other relevant agencies. The care plan is available electronically and provides a road map for next steps in care.
Our Clinics
The CP Program offers a variety of clinics to meet the needs of you and your child. Depending on the clinic type and the individual’s needs, you will see clinicians from Complex Care; Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation; Orthopedics; Neurology; Neurosurgery; Physical, Occupational, and/or Speech Therapy; Nutrition; Nursing, Care Coordination, and Social Work.
- CP Connect: This is the most common route for establishing care for new patients with a diagnosis of CP. The CP team will review your child's needs and help them to build important connections with specialties at Nationwide Children’s, therapies, and community resources before being seen in the full CP team.
- Team: This is the team clinic where your school-aged child or young adult with CP will see a variety of specialists in a single annual visit. This comprehensive care plan will identify and link your family to resources in the community as needed, and results in the creation of a family-centered care plan. Testing, such as X-rays or lab work, is available.
- Adult Team: This is a similarly structured team clinic for adults with CP who are 22 years and older.
- Early CP: This is a developmentally-focused clinic for the youngest children with a diagnosis of CP. Children may be seen repeatedly until they are ultimately transitioned to the full CP team clinic around the time they start school.
- Diagnostic: This clinic assesses children with a possible diagnosis of CP. If your child does have CP, we will establish the best fit for future team-based care.
- Pre-operative: This clinic evaluates individuals with CP who have an upcoming major surgery to provide full medical review and coordination between medical and surgical specialties.
- Tone Management: This clinic assesses and creates a plan of care for individuals with challenging muscle tone concerns who need intervention.
Transitioning Care
As children mature into adulthood, the Comprehensive Cerebral Palsy Program works with families to help individuals with CP develop the skills needed to become informed, independent, healthy adults. These discussions begin as individuals enter the teen years. At age 22, we begin seeing patients in the Adult Cerebral Palsy Team clinic to continue interdisciplinary specialty care.
We continue to communicate through the interdisciplinary care plan with adult primary care providers. Patients should continue to maintain their own primary care providers for care not related to CP. Our team can help families identify primary care providers for adults and other specialists as needed, including community resources for housing, activities, and vocational counseling.
Research and Clinical Trials
The Comprehensive Cerebral Palsy Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is involved with the Cerebral Palsy Research Network (CPRN)
The Network is comprised of doctors, therapists and patient advocates who collaborate to improve treatments and outcomes for CP patients.
Learn more about the Network’s mission, leadership and current research by visiting the Cerebral Palsy Research Network website.
How to Become a Patient
When your child needs to see a doctor, you have enough on your mind. Scheduling an appointment should be simple. Nationwide Children's offers a few ways to make sure your child can be seen by a CP Program specialist.
Our Clinics
For your family's convenience, the Cerebral Palsy Program provides several clinic options to meet your child’s specific needs:
Livingston Orthopedic & Surgery Center
405 Butterfly Gardens Drive
Columbus, OH 43215
Appointments Outside These Clinics
Patients established with the CP program can be seen for urgent or routine visits as needed by the various specialties. We encourage all individuals to maintain a close relationship with their primary care provider and would refer all non-CP related questions back to the PCP. Issues felt to be related to CP can be addressed through visits with the specific team member. Ongoing care coordination is provided throughout the year as needed. A team member can be reached by calling (614) 722-5136.