Cerebral Palsy and Spasticity Center | Patient Stories
No holding back: Surgery to help treat cerebral palsy changed Eric's life
For years, Eric helped coach both kids and adults with physical and mental disabilities, teaching them adaptive skiing through the New England Disabled Sports program. His motivation went well beyond simple athleticism.
Chloe's Story: 'It's okay to be different'
Chloe and her family have been coming to Boston Children’s Hospital since she was a baby for her post-operative paraplegia. She says in a lot of ways she's like any 13-year-old but wants other kids to know that "it's okay to be different."
"In Mexico, we never received answers about Maria's situation that gave us confidence," mom says. Luckily, their pediatrician knew of a family from Mexico who had received care for a complex condition at BCH.
Like many kids with CP, Stella has spasticity, or severe tightness and stiffness, in her leg muscles. A medication called baclofen - typically taken orally - can help treat spasticity, had some unwanted side effects.
A computer voice utters a simple statement. Sometimes, it's "My name is Elijah." Other times, "My parents are Brian and Leah," or "I feel happy." For the first time in his life, Elijah can tell his mother, 'Yes, I want a hug.'
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability of childhood. The term CP is an umbrella term for a group of disorders that affect body movement and posture as a result of damage to a baby's developing brain.
For the women's crew team at College of the Holy Cross and rowers everywhere, all eyes are on the Head of the Charles Regatta. It's a long journey, but few have come so far as Caroline Laurendeau, the 4'11" coxswain.
Seven-year-old Hunter Ripley is a boy of few words. There's a rare "bye-bye" to his mother as he sets off for school and an occasional "whee" when he's pushed on his adaptive swing.
Five-year-old Will DeMauvise has never been stopped by his cerebral palsy. In family videos, he swims, throws a baseball and drives a toy car. Everyone wants the same thing for him: a full life with independence.
When people hear the term "cerebral palsy," they might envision a child with very particular symptoms. But CP is actually a broad term that covers several different disorders.
