Cerebral Palsy Clinic

Every child's cerebral palsy looks different — we keep your child at the center of care while treating the full range of related conditions. 

What Is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a term for a group of permanent disorders that affect movement, muscle control balance and posture. CP occurs when the parts of the brain responsible for movement develop differently or are injured before, during or shortly after birth.

Although CP is a lifelong condition, early diagnosis and treatment can help children improve mobility, independence and quality of life.

What Causes Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is caused by abnormal brain development or injury to the developing brain. In many cases, a specific cause cannot be identified.

Factors that may increase the risk of CP include:

• Premature birth
• Very low birth weight
• Infection during pregnancy
• Bleeding in the brain
• Blood clotting disorders
• Exposure to certain substances during pregnancy
• Head injury
• Complications during labor and delivery

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?

Symptoms vary from child to child and can range from mild to severe. Common signs include:

• Delayed motor milestones, such as rolling over, sitting, crawling or walking
• Muscle stiffness or tightness (spasticity)
• Muscle weakness
• Poor balance and coordination
• Difficulty with fine motor skills
• Involuntary movements

Types of cerebral palsy include:

• Spastic diplegia: Stiffness primarily affecting both legs
• Spastic hemiplegia: Stiffness affecting one side of the body
• Spastic quadriplegia: Stiffness affecting all four limbs
• Dyskinetic CP: Involuntary or uncontrolled movements
• Ataxic CP: Problems with balance and coordination

Some children with CP may also experience seizures, vision or hearing difficulties, speech and communication challenges, learning differences, scoliosis, or bowel and bladder concerns.

How is Cerebral Palsy Diagnosed?

Diagnosing CP typically begins with a review of your child's medical history and a physical examination. Additional tests may be recommended to assess brain development, movement patterns and overall health.

These may include:

• Neurological evaluations
• MRI or other imaging studies
• EEG testing
• Genetic or metabolic testing
• Gait and movement analysis
• Feeding and swallowing studies

Early diagnosis allows children to begin therapies and other interventions as soon as possible.

What Are the Treatment Options?

There is no cure for cerebral palsy, but treatment can help children maximize their abilities and independence. Care is tailored to each child's unique needs and often involves a multidisciplinary team.

Treatment options may include:

• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Orthotic devices and bracing
• Mobility equipment
• Medications to manage muscle tightness or seizures
• Surgical procedures to address orthopedic concerns, such as scoliosis, hip problems or muscle contractures

What is the Long-Term Outlook?

CP is a not a progressive disorder, but it does evolve as your child ages. Because a child's needs may change as they grow, regular follow-up with their care team is an important part of long-term management.

With the right support and treatment, many children with cerebral palsy lead active, fulfilling lives. Ongoing care focuses on preventing complications, improving function and helping children participate fully at home, school and in their communities.

At Le Bonheur, your child is at the center of everything we do. Children with cerebral palsy often benefit from care from multiple specialists, and our team works together to create a treatment plan tailored to your child's needs. From therapy services to specialty care, we're here to support your child at every stage of development.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy helps children with cerebral palsy build strength, improve movement and achieve the highest level of mobility and independence possible.

Our physical therapists help address:

• Muscle tone and spasticity
• Strength and endurance
• Balance and coordination
• Walking and mobility
• Motor planning and movement skills
• Flexibility and range of motion
• Pain management
• Positioning and adaptive equipment needs
• Bracing and orthotic recommendations
• Wheelchair, seating and mobility solutions

Learn more about Physical Therapy at Le Bonheur. 

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy helps children with cerebral palsy develop the skills needed for everyday activities at home, school and in the community. Our therapists address motor, sensory and cognitive challenges to help children gain greater independence and confidence.

Motor and Functional Skills

Our occupational therapists help children improve:

• Fine motor skills, including grasping, releasing and hand coordination
• Bilateral coordination, or using both hands together effectively
• Visual-motor and visual-perceptual skills needed for activities such as writing, reading and play

Tone Management and Upper Extremity Support

We provide:

• Support for spasticity and muscle tone management
• Custom splinting and orthotic recommendations
• Upper body strengthening and neuromuscular coordination training
• Therapy before and after interventions such as Botox injections or serial casting

Independence and Daily Living Skills

Our therapists work with children to improve:

• Feeding, dressing, grooming and other daily activities
• Use of adaptive equipment and assistive technology
• Sensory processing and self-regulation
• Attention, problem-solving and executive functioning skills that support learning and daily routines

Occupational therapy helps bridge the gap between physical abilities and everyday participation, empowering children to engage more fully in the activities that matter most.

Learn more about Occupational Therapy.

Speech-Language Pathology

Children with cerebral palsy may experience challenges with communication, feeding or swallowing because of differences in muscle control. Le Bonheur's speech-language pathologists help children communicate more effectively and eat and drink safely.

We Can Help With:

• Feeding and swallowing difficulties
• Speech clarity and articulation
• Receptive and expressive language skills
• Social communication skills
• Cognitive-communication skills
• Oral motor and oral sensory development
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
• Early literacy and pre-reading skills

When swallowing safety is a concern, our speech-language pathologists partner with Le Bonheur radiologists to perform Modified Barium Swallow Studies, which allow us to evaluate swallowing function in real time and guide treatment recommendations.

Hearing and Communication

Hearing plays a critical role in speech and language development. Some factors associated with cerebral palsy, such as prematurity or severe jaundice, may also increase the risk of hearing loss. If there are concerns about your child's hearing, our team may recommend a comprehensive hearing evaluation.

Learn more about Audiology Services.

Outpatient Rehabilitation Services

Le Bonheur's rehabilitation team provides coordinated outpatient care designed to help children with cerebral palsy maximize their abilities, achieve developmental goals and participate fully in daily life. Through physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology, we partner with families to help every child reach their fullest potential.

Learn more about our Outpatient Rehabilitation Services.

Below is a list of commonly used patient resources in our Cerebral Palsy Clinic: 

• Cerebral Palsy Patient Resource Guide
• Memphis CHILD Housing Resource Guide
• Shelby County Community Resource Guide

At Le Bonheur, we're committed to advancing the understanding and treatment of cerebral palsy through research and collaboration.

As a regional site of the Cerebral Palsy Research Network (CPRN), we partner with clinicians, researchers and families across the country to improve the care and outcomes that matter most to children with CP.

With your permission, information from your child's care can be included in the CPRN's secure research registry. This information is de-identified to protect privacy and helps researchers identify best practices, improve treatments and advance care for children with cerebral palsy nationwide.

Learn more about the Cerebral Palsy Research Network at cprn.org.

What to Expect During Your Visit

Your child's first visit is designed to provide a comprehensive evaluation and personalized care plan. Appointments may last up to two hours and typically include:

• A detailed discussion of your child's medical history and current needs
• A physical examination
• Evaluations from members of our multidisciplinary care team
• Review of braces, mobility equipment and seating systems by orthotic and seating specialists, when appropriate
• Observation of your child's movement and walking abilities
• Imaging studies, such as X-rays, if needed

At the end of the visit, you'll receive a comprehensive treatment plan developed collaboratively by our team, with input from you and your child.

Who We See

We see patients who:

• Are 2 to 18 years old for new patient appointments (exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis)
• Have a diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of cerebral palsy, a cerebral palsy-like condition or another related neuromuscular or movement disorder
• Have a neurology-confirmed diagnosis of cerebral palsy or a CP-like condition prior to scheduling

Not sure whether your child's diagnosis qualifies? Our team reviews related neuromuscular and movement disorders on an individual basis. Contact us to discuss your child's needs.