Meet Our Cerebral Palsy Treatment Team

At St. Louis Children’s Hospital, we believe cerebral palsy care should be personalized — and provided by experts who truly understand the condition.

Children with cerebral palsy often need to see multiple care providers. In addition to their pediatric neurologist, they may need different specialists, such as physical, occupational and speech therapists or a surgeon. They may also need an expert in bracing or wheelchairs. 

Your Child’s Care Team

At the Cerebral Palsy Center, we focus on being a cohesive team. Your child’s care team works closely together, meeting once a week to discuss strategies and progress. Our cerebral palsy experts include:

• Neurologists, who are specialists in pediatric movement disorders. They are experts in diagnosing the cause of your child’s CP, identifying the specific movement and tone problems your child has, and using this information to make a treatment plan together with you. The CP center neurologists also manage symptoms such as seizures, behavior concerns, and sleep difficulties, and collaborate with primary care providers and specialists to address a range of health concerns. 
• Neurosurgeons, who can perform brain surgery and other neurological procedures
• Orthopedic specialists, who specialize in bone, joint and muscle conditions
• Orthotists, who provide expertise in bracing and casting solutions
• Nurses, who have an integral role as educators and care coordinators in our CP center. They work with the team to help carry out the plan of care developed at each appointment and are available between visits to address any questions or concerns you may have. Our nurse practitioner can also see you for follow-up visits in between visits with other providers to help assess the effects of treatments and optimize the treatment plans as needed in consultation with our physicians.
• Physical and occupational therapists, who examine movement with an aim to assist with improving each patient’s functional movement and quality of life through proper equipment, orthotics, exercise (strengthening and stretching) and community living (school, therapies, etc.). The therapists will examine each patient and discuss with the patient and their family a treatment plan to improve their ability to move, reduce or limit pain, and be the most functional individual possible.
• Speech therapists, who work with your child on various communication needs
• A social worker, who provides support and information about resources for home, school, and the community
• Equipment specialists, who specialize in wheelchairs, walkers and other assistive devices

Our Doctors and Providers

We are a pediatric teaching hospital for Washington University School of Medicine. This means you and your child receive leading edge treatments from physicians who are experts in their field.

St. Louis Children’s Hospital is proud to have the following experts on staff at the Cerebral Palsy Center.