Our Services

Spasticity and Movement Disorders Clinic

Description of Services

An example for the rest of the world.

The Spasticity and Movement Disorders Clinic, part of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC's Brain Care Institute, draws patients from across the country and around the world. Staff members at the clinic are routinely invited to lecture internationally, and once each month, physicians and therapists from other regions visit to learn from our clinic.

Our multifaceted approach to children with movement disorders and/or spasticity offers a complete spectrum of care that covers diagnosis, treatment, and surgery.

Working together sets us apart.

The Spasticity and Movement Disorders Clinic of the Brain Care Institute offers a distinct advantage for families looking for treatment for their child’s movement disorder: the collaborative relationship among pediatric specialists in Orthopaedic Surgery, Rehabilitation Medicine, Neurosurgery, and Child Neurology with special training in neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Specialists in the Spasticity and Movement Disorders Clinic work together to:

Diagnose movement disorders
Offer medical and surgical treatment options
Fulfill each child's needs for rehabilitation

Movement disorders: Myths and facts

One of the biggest misconceptions about children with movement disorders is that they are intellectually impaired. In reality, children with movement disorders are often of average or above-average intelligence, but due to the disruptive nature of their disorder, they may suffer from communication disorders, learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and/or other neurobehavioral disorders.

Some common movement disorders include:

Ataxia, or the inability to control movement
Chorea, which is rapid, jerky, sudden movements of the limbs or face
Dystonia, which is characterized by writhing or twisting movements as a result of muscle contraction
Myoclonus, a sudden, shock-like twitching of muscles without a rhythm or pattern
Spasticity, or increased muscle tone or stiffness that results in uncontrolled, awkward movements
Tremor, an involuntary trembling movement

The team in the Spasticity and Movement Disorders Clinic treats the whole child — not just the disorder — by carefully coordinating surgical and medical treatment with a host of other rehabilitative and support services that address all of the child’s clinical needs.