Since 1995, the Cerebral Palsy and Spina Bifida (CPSB) Clinic has been a leader in providing long-term, coordinated, family-centered specialty care for children with cerebral palsy and spina bifida.
CPSB Clinic medical professionals and staff are experts in caring for children who have cerebral palsy or spina bifida, including congenital spina bifida. The CPSB Clinic typically sees more than two hundred enrolled children each year. The clinic sets aside dedicated clinical time for children, ensuring convenient and timely access to top-tier specialists.
The CPSB Clinic's dedicated scheduling team coordinates appointments across multiple pediatric specialties to make planning simpler for patients and families. Schedulers arrange appointments to maximize efficiency so that most patients and families can remain in one area for their clinical evaluations and testing. Most can complete multidisciplinary clinic visits and medical testing in a single day.
Nationally recognized pediatric experts
Mayo Clinic's pediatric experts provide the highest quality care for children with cerebral palsy and spina bifida.
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is ranked among the Best Hospitals for neurology and neurosurgery and rehabilitation by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic Children's Center in Rochester is ranked the No. 1 hospital in Minnesota, and the five-state region of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2023-2024 "Best Children's Hospitals" rankings.
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report.
Come to Mayo Clinic
At Mayo Clinic, you and your child will receive effective, compassionate care from a combination of expert healthcare professionals. Up-to-date testing and advanced imaging support evidence-based care to children with cerebral palsy, spina bifida and any concurrent conditions.
Our multidisciplinary care brings you the latest medical treatments, technology and advanced interventions, delivered in a caring, patient and family-centered environment. You'll also have access to groundbreaking clinical trials when appropriate to your individual needs.
Initial referrals are required for the CPSB Clinic
Your current healthcare professional should request that you or your child receive an initial CPSB Clinic evaluation by a pediatric physician within Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. They may use the referral page within Provider Relations or contact the CPSB Clinic by phone or fax.
Referrals from within the United States
Referrals from outside the United States
Your cerebral palsy and spina bifida care team
At Mayo Clinic, you can expect the best care from our multispecialty team of pediatric experts on cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Depending on age and individual needs, the team of experts may include these pediatric specialists:
Physiatrist (PMR). Develops a specific rehabilitation plan with you and your child based on functional, developmental and neuromusculoskeletal status. This may include therapies, home adaptive or mobility equipment, abnormal muscle tone treatments such as medications, injections or referral to a surgeon.
Neurologist. Evaluates your child's brain, spinal cord and nerves. Treats seizures and other neurological disorders.
Neurosurgeon. Evaluates your child's brain, spinal cord and nerves before and after surgery. Performs surgery as needed for the brain and spine such as shunt placement, selective dorsal rhizotomy and other procedures.
Urologist. Evaluates the urinary system including bladder control and kidney function. Provides medical and surgical treatment to improve bowel and bladder health and control.
Orthopedist. Evaluates the muscles and bones through physical assessments, X-rays and other diagnostic tests to determine the need for bone, tendon, or muscle surgery.
Registered nurse. Assists with your coordination of care and diagnosis-related education before, during and after your visit. Able to assist with a variety of patient care needs and help you with questions you may have before, during or after your child's clinic appointments.
Social worker. Helps your child and family cope with the diagnosis through counseling and support. Identifies community resources to facilitate treatment and care at home.
Physical therapist. Assesses your child's mobility and movement, strength, and physical activity. May make recommendations for exercise, stretching, equipment for mobility, such as a wheelchair or walker, foot or leg braces, or ongoing therapy.
Occupational therapist. Assesses your child's function with dressing, bathing, toileting, swallowing, feeding, bed mobility, positioning and fine motor skills. May make recommendations for equipment, adaptations, hand or arm bracing, assistive technology, or ongoing therapy to help your child with these activities.
Speech therapist. Assesses your child's communication or swallowing or both. May make recommendations for adaptive communication strategies, communication devices or technology, swallowing strategies with eating or drinking, and ongoing therapy if needed.
Child life specialist. Can help children and family members cope with the stress and uncertainty of healthcare experiences. Child life specialists can help with engaging in therapeutic play and distraction in an age-appropriate manner. They also can help prepare children for surgery, procedures or other medical experiences by using age-appropriate language, visual aids and teaching materials to decrease stress and enhance understanding.
Other providers are available and coordinated based on your child's needs.
Research: Creating paths to better patient care
Our physicians are deeply involved with the Mayo Clinic Rehabilitation Medicine Research Center, within which Mayo Clinic physician-scientists conduct research to advance patient care.
In addition, CPSB Clinic staff members continuously conduct clinical trials into possible advances in patient care.
Cerebral palsy research
- Mayo Clinic is a member of the national Cerebral Palsy Research Network.
- Spasticity in cerebral palsy: An emerging research area involves a new paradigm (an analytical model) regarding the causes of movement difficulties and spasticity in people whose cerebral palsy is due to premature birth.
Learn more about Cerebral Palsy clinical trials.
Spina bifida research
- A novel approach for assessment of surgical efficacy following in utero and postnatal surgery of infants with spina bifida.
- Expanding patient-driven research by advancing the understanding of research interests or preferences of children with spina bifida and their caregivers.
- Systematically assessing a novel method of neurostimulation for improving function in children with spina bifida.
Learn more about spina bifida clinical trials.
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Publications
See a list of publications about cerebral palsy and spina bifida by Mayo Clinic doctors on PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine.
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