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Hope for Children with Severe Spinal Cord Injuries

November 29, 2010 | WMFE - Children with severe spinal cord injuries may regain some movement with existing therapies, even if traditional diagnostic tools predict they will never walk again. University of Florida researchers presented these findings on Nov. 14 at the Society of Neuroscience meeting in San Diego.

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The researchers hope to better predict which children will recover from severe spinal cord injuries through new ways of testing their reflexes.

The UF study involved six children who would normally be considered unable to recover, based on traditional diagnostic tests. The scientists gave the kids therapy that activated muscles below their spinal cord injuries. After the treatment, three out of the six children were able to walk again, and the other three improved some of their body control and sensation.

"There is a population of individuals that could walk again,” lead UF researcher Andrea Behrman said. “Our current evaluation instruments are not informing us of that potential.”

Since the study only looked at a handful of children, Behrman says the next step is to expand the research by enrolling more patients.

 

 

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