Possible New Cord Cell Treatment for Cerebral Palsy

New umbilical cord blood cell-based treatments may offer hope for people living with cerebral palsy, notes an article in regional newspaper The Australian.

Researchers gave 30 children with cerebral palsy a special treatment course, which included donated umbilical cord blood cells, for six months. As noted in the Stem Cells journal, these children saw significant improvements in brain and movement function. The children who made the most progress were those aged three and under. Other patients with cerebral palsy in the study receiving different treatments didn’t exhibit the same improvements.

“I think this is the most promising study we've ever seen in the area of stem cells,” says the head of research at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance, an Australian nonprofit cerebral palsy support center. "This is looking like a possible path to a cure."

Some background: Umbilical cord blood contains a set of unique immune cells known “regulatory T-cells,” in addition to stem cells. The stem cells can to grow into any of the body’s 200-plus cell types. Because of its unique properties, cord blood is harvested immediately after birth, and then cryogenically frozen for medical use.

According to the Australian (which used the Stem Cells article as the basis for its article), further study is needed before doctors can prescribe the treatment. While the research is still in its early stages, the results may come as goods news to the nearly 800,000 adults and children living with cerebral palsy in the United States.

Cerebral palsy is sometimes caused by improper medical care or negligence. Do you or a loved one have a child who was born with a birth injury such as cerebral palsy? Is the condition attributable to medical error? Then contact a birth injury attorney at Sokolove Law today to learn more about your legal options.

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