The world’s first program dedicated to spinal cord injuries in children, the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger offers hope to anyone with a disorder of paralysis, no matter how long ago they experienced their injury. The Center emphasizes advanced activity based restorative therapies (ABRT), techniques which have shown great promise in helping individuals with paralysis recover function, even years after becoming paralyzed.
Activity based restorative therapies use methods like functional electric stimulation to help patients with paralysis “exercise” muscles through activities such as riding a specially equipped functional electrical stimulation (FES) bicycle. Research has proven that such activity helps improve patients’ quality of life by promoting overall physical integrity: improving cardiovascular health, preventing skin breakdown, reducing the incidence of osteoporosis, and other comorbidities related to paralysis. A recent cohort study in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury provides evidence that these therapies may also be effective in helping individuals recovery neurological function such as sensation and movement.
While the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury welcomes patients in the immediate, acute phases of rehabilitation, the program focuses on long-term therapy regimens designed to be followed at home. Parents and caregivers are trained in delivering these therapies to their injured child or family member.
Everyone can benefit from the program, but the program is even more important for children. Because they are still growing and developing, they are in a better position to recover from devastating injuries than adults. But because relatively few children experience spinal cord injuries, most therapy programs are designed with adults in mind and must be modified for children. Not here. Our programs and equipment have been developed specifically for children. The members of our interdisciplinary team have years of experience tailoring treatment plans with the unique physical, developmental, educational and social needs of children in mind. The International Center for Spinal Cord Injury is the first program dedicated to restorative care for children with chronic spinal cord injuries.
Primary goals:
This clinic is designed to help every child experiencing paralysis as a result of accident, stroke, tumor, birth defects and other causes. The goals are to improve health and optimize recovery of function. As a research facility, the clinic also pushes the forefront of innovations in treatment. As we constantly fine tune our therapies, our patients will experience the most recent evolution in spinal cord injury treatment.
Clinic Program Success Story:
Jessica Hill played a large role in the move toward focusing on pediatric patients and the realization of the International Spinal Cord Injury Center. At the time Jessica’s parents persisted in getting their daughter seen by Dr. McDonald, the focus of his work was on the treatment of adults with spinal cord injury. Jessica had a severe spinal cord injury at birth and remained paralyzed and unable to feel below the chest level for the first two years of her life. Jessica was first seen in the clinic at the age of two. She is now a beautiful young girl age 6. She is walking with ankle braces and has recovered sensation throughout her body. She has regained control of her bowel and bladder function. Jessica achieved this remarkable recovery through hard work every day together with her mother and father. The activity-based restoration therapy program was designed and advanced via the clinic and designed to be accomplished at home. It included active bicycling, partial body weight supported walking, surface electrical stimulation of muscles and aquatherapy. Jessica has also avoided all the complications that too often affect spinal cord injury patients including skin breakdown, muscle wasting and scoliosis.
Contact our Care Management Office
Toll-free Referral: (888) 554-2080
Local Referral: (443) 923-9400
Website: www.spinalcordrecovery.org
For follow-up appointments:
(443) 923-9333
To make a referral or request for an international patient:
For additional assistance related to visas, travel and translation services appointments for international patients are scheduled through our affiliate
Johns Hopkins International
AV Malformations
Connective Tissue Disorders
Degenerative disorders (e.g. Freidrich#8217;s Ataxia)
Multiple Sclerosis
Neurofibromatosis
Stroke
Transverse Myelitis Hemangiomas
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPMR)
(http://www.aapmr.org)
American Academy of Neurology
(http://www.aan.com)
American Neurological Association
(http://www.aneuroa.org)
American Spine Injury Association
(http://www.asia-spinalinjury.org/)
Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP)
(http://www.physiatry.org)
Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center
(http://www.paralysis.org)
Christopher Reeve Foundation
(http://www.christopherreeve.org)
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
(http://www.jhmi.edu/)
National Institutes of Health
(http://www.nih.gov)
National SCI Association
(http://www.spinalcord.org)
National SCI Statistical Center
(http://www.spinalcord.uab.edu)
Reeve-Irvine Research Center
(http://www.reeve.uci.edu/~reeve/)
Society for Neuroscience
(http://www.sfn.org)
Continuums l Clinical Laboratories l Clinical Disciplines/Depts.