A three year old cerebral palsy child who is participating in a cord blood treatment study at Duke University has rapidly shown improvement in motor functions and speech.
The child is participating in a study in which the child is infused with cord blood cells banked by their parents at birth. The injection took about 15 minutes and her parents are already calling the treatment a miracle. Before the treatment her right hand was always clenched and virtually no use to her and now her right hand has opened up and she is beginning to use both hands. Her speech has also greatly improved and she is now able to walk flatfooted with the support of a leg brace. Her parents believe she is about 85 percent cured of cerebral palsy.
While researchers will not be able to scientifically prove that the treatment will correct problems associated with cerebral palsy until the study is complete, anecdotal evidence is giving parents with cerebral palsy hope that someday their child will be able to lead a more normal life.
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