Health Law

DOD Clinic Provides Comprehensive Cerebral Palsy Treatment

The San Antonio Military Medical Complex (SAMMC) is the only Department of Defense facility to provide comprehensive cerebral palsy treatment to children and adults with the condition. In fact, the facility’s spasticity clinic has been named a center of excellence for the treatment of cerebral palsy.

Medical specialists at the facility’s Adult and Pediatric Spasticity Clinic take a multidisciplinary approach to treatment to help reduce cerebral palsy symptoms. According to Major and pediatric neurologist Dr. Brian Faux, each patient is treated by a team of specialists that includes “pediatricians, orthopedic surgeons, physical, occupational and speech therapists, social workers, neurologists, neurosurgeons, educators and nutritionists.”

One particular treatment available at the clinic is medical pump implantation; the pump delivers a continuous dose of medication to ease some of the symptoms associated with cerebral palsy. Since 2003, the clinic has implanted 15 medical pumps into children.

"I would like to see children with cerebral palsy being implanted at a much younger age, before they start losing muscle and are wheelchair bound. It's important that we get the word out that we offer this treatment," Dr. Faux said.

SAMMC was formerly known as Wilford Hall Medical Center and the website can be accessed here.

 

Full post as published by Cerebral Palsy Law Blog on November 26, 2008 (boomark / email).