Tuesday, 21 August 2012

Startling, but possibly good news

 Today I had the usual alerts for news items on not only Conductive Education but also cerebral palsy. Usually the cp ones tend to be about fundraising for various operations and therapies and plucky Jack or Jill can now ride a bike etc.

Today's was a little different as it flagged up a small piece in The Daily News from Galveston.

http://galvestondailynews.com/story/336210

It reports that scientists have found a way to overcome cerebral palsy in rabbits and are looking to establish the same method is safe for humans to try. The reporter writes:

Before human trials can begin, researchers must determine if the nanoparticle in this study is safe for humans, particularly children whose brains are developing.


There’s also the question of how long doctors have before cerebral palsy is irreversible in children. In most cases, cerebral palsy is diagnosed by the age of 2, but if newborns can be diagnosed and treated immediately, Kannan’s therapy might be invaluable to those young lives

It may also be used for other conditions:

The study’s scientists already anticipate pairing the treatment with stem cell therapy to regenerate damaged nerve tissue in the brain.


Not only would this help newborns with cerebral palsy, but could also help people with other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis

There is much more to do which will take a number of years, I would think, but does show how medical research is developing to give hope.

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