Helping Your Child Regain Control

If your child has suffered a brain or spinal cord injury, it’s possible that he or she has been experiencing painful, uncontrolled muscle movement and spasms. It can be agonizing to watch — no parent wants to see their child in pain.

The Spasticity Program at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children is here to help. Part of The Leon Pediatric Neuroscience Center of Excellence, the Spasticity Program offers a variety of treatment options for managing pain and forming stronger, more controlled muscles. From congenital disorders, such as cerebral palsy, to acquired injuries, like spinal trauma, our team of orthopedic specialists, neurology specialists and physical therapists are trained to aid in your child’s rehabilitation.

We evaluate first-time patients in a multidisciplinary setting during our monthly spasticity clinic. Our comprehensive evaluation and team approach to care includes specialists from the following pediatric disciplines:

• Pediatric neurosurgery
• Pediatric orthopedics
• Pediatric neurology
• Physical and occupational therapy

Then, we determine if the patient is a candidate for treatment options.

What is Spasticity?

Spasticity is a form of muscle over-activity. This occurs when communication between the brain and spinal cord are disrupted, whether from injury or another condition such as cerebral palsy. Spasticity can cause your child pain and fatigue. It can also prevent you child from performing simple actions like walking, sitting, positioning and sleeping. Our team can help control your child’s muscle spasms through proper management and treatment.

Treatment Options

Normalizing life for every family and child is a priority at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer. After a significant diagnosis affecting your child’s brain or spinal cord, it’s possible that you’re struggling to find your family’s “new normal.” We are here to assist with the care and treatment of your child after diagnosis.

Conservative treatment options for spasticity include orthotics, bracing, oral medications and physical therapy. These methods can help your child regain control of their muscles by inhibiting spasms.

In more advanced cases of spasticity, Botox injections may be an option, in which your child’s doctor would inject Botox into the affected spastic muscles every three months, providing temporary relief and relaxation. Your child would then work with our physical therapists to increase movement and strengthen muscle tone.

We have the expertise to perform neurosurgical interventions for spasticity including selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) or intrathecal baclofen pump (IBP) procedures.

Contact Us

For more information on the Pediatric Spasticity Program, please call us at (321) 841-3050.