Movement Disorders Program

When you and your child come to our program, you meet with the entire team of providers at one appointment for evaluation for a surgical procedure. This patient-centric model means that you don’t have to go to multiple appointments at multiple locations to see specialists for a treatment plan. Instead, this one appointment allows you to meet with everyone on the team at the same time to make a plan for your child’s care.

That expert team in the Movement Disorders program that you’ll see includes pediatric specialists in the following:

• Neurology
• Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
• Neurosurgery
• Physical Therapy
• Developmental Pediatrics

You’ll also have a program coordinator who will work with you to arrange your appointment and answer questions you might have.

Services

Depending on your child’s condition and needs, the Movement Disorders team may recommend a variety of treatment options for your child’s care.

Intrathecal Baclofen Pump

Baclofen pumps allow medicine to be dispensed directly into spinal fluid at scheduled times throughout the day. Baclofen is a specialized medicine meant to relax muscles and relieve spasms and muscle cramping. 

The pump is installed through a short surgical procedure. The pump is implanted into the torso and connected to the spine via a small tube. The device then stores and delivers baclofen as a targeted therapy directly to the spinal cord.

Deep Brain Stimulation

In deep brain stimulation (DBS), our neurosurgeons place electrodes deep in the brain. The electrodes are connected to a pacemaker-like device implanted under the skin near the collarbone. 

The device sends regular electrical impulses to the target areas of the brain to correct excessive or misguided signals in the brain.

Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR)

For some patients with cerebral palsy, selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is a surgical treatment that helps reduce spasticity and increases overall functional ability for patients. The treatment involves sectioning (cutting) problematic nerve roots in the spine to improve muscle symptoms.

Non-selective Dorsal Rhizotomy

As an alternative to intrathecal baclofen therapy for patients who require total care, a non-selective dorsal rhizotomy can be performed. The goal of this surgery is to decrease the amount of spasticity causing pain, difficulty with hygiene, or difficulty positioning in assistive devices (e.g. wheelchair positioning). This treatment involves a permanent surgical procedure to decrease the abnormal tone in the legs.