New Treatments & Clinical Trials for Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a group of movement disorders caused by early brain injury, affecting about 1 in 345 children in the U.S. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms — physical therapy, medications for spasticity, orthopedic surgery, and assistive devices. No treatment yet reverses the underlying brain injury, but research is testing approaches that might.

What's actually going on in research

Trials are testing stem cell therapies that may help repair brain tissue, new spasticity medications including longer-acting forms of botulinum toxin, and rehabilitation techniques guided by brain imaging. Researchers are also studying early interventions in high-risk infants, trying to reduce the severity of CP before it fully develops.

What to know before you search

Eligibility often depends on CP type (spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic), severity level using standard scales, age, and whether the child can participate in assessments.

What types of trials are currently open

• Stem cell trials — Testing whether cord blood cells or other stem cell types can improve motor skills, muscle tone, or brain function in children with CP.
• Spasticity trials — Testing new muscle relaxants, longer-acting forms of botulinum toxin, or intrathecal baclofen pumps to reduce stiffness and improve movement.
• Rehabilitation trials — Testing intensive physical therapy programs, constraint-induced movement therapy, robotic therapy, or virtual reality approaches to improve motor skills.
• Early intervention trials — Testing therapies started in infancy for babies at high risk of CP, aiming to prevent or reduce the severity of movement problems.
• Device and technology trials — Testing exoskeletons, functional electrical stimulation, or brain-computer interfaces that may help children with CP move or communicate.