Although Dr. Citlali Lopez-Ortiz’s research study through Northwestern University’s Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago has not yet been completed, Sophia Jablonski, an eleven year old with cerebral palsy who is participating in the Joffrey Ballet’s annual production of “The Nutcracker” is certainly helping make the case for this innovative form of therapy.
Dr. Lopez-Ortiz, recipient of a two year, $100,000 research grant from CPIRF made possible through the generosity of the Hearst Foundation, has been studying the effectiveness of canonical movements of classical ballet with accompanying music to improve movement and postured control in children between 10-12 years of age with hemiplegic or diplegic cerebral palsy.
Please click on the link below to read the recent press release from the Chicago Sun Times describing Sophia’s great progress!
Most treatments for cerebral palsy (CP) are initially directed toward children. What is not clearly established is the long- term effects of such treatments. Many appear helpful in the short term but prove to be disadvantageous in the long run. Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is a permanent, irreversible neurosurgical procedure for reducing spasticity in cerebral palsy. Parents contemplating SDR for their child would like assurance that that there will not be harmful complications from it as the child ages into adolescence and adulthood. We now have new evidence...
Thanks for your page, “Dance Therapy Paying Dividends | CPI Research Foundation” … I saved it and will be back later to read some of your other articles. Thanks, Ayanna