Links to websites of groups that study or provide information about cerebral palsy.
- United Cerebral Palsy (UCP)
UCP is an organization dedicating to advancing the independence, productivity, and full citizenship of people with disabilities. - Cerebral Palsy Research Network
CP Research Network focuses on optimizing the lifelong health and wellness of people with CP and their families through high-quality research, education, and community programming - Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR)
The CPIR, funded through the U.S. Department of Education is a central hub for current and archived information to increase parents knowledge about special education. - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
CDC conducts health science and provides information about many different health conditions and problems. - MedlinePlus: Cerebral Palsy
MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, provides a wealth of information and resources for consumers on cerebral palsy and many other health topics. - MyChild at CerebralPalsy.org
MyChild provides comprehensive resources for parents and other caregivers of children with cerebral palsy and other neurological conditions. - American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons OrthoInfo
OrthoInfo, maintained by the professional society for American orthopaedic surgeons, provides information about treatment and prevention of musculoskeletal conditions and injuries. - American Academy of Neurology (AAN) for Patients and Caregivers
AAN's patients and caregivers site provides comprehensive information on specific neurological disorders. - American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine
This organization focuses on the scientific education of health professionals and researchers who treat and study childhood disabilities. - Children's Hemiplegia and Stroke Association (CHASA)
- CHASA provides information and support to families of children who have survived an early brain injury and live with hemiplegia or hemiparesis.
Please note: Links to organizations and information included on this page do not indicate endorsement from NICHD, NIH, or HHS.
Resources within the Division of Extramural Research (DER) include:
- Developmental Biology and Congenital Anomalies Branch (DBCAB)
DBCAB supports basic and clinical research on typical and atypical development that relates to the causes and prevention of structural congenital anomalies, as well as research training in relevant academic and medical areas.- Congenital Anomalies Initiative
The DBCAB-supported working group aims to develop new, innovative, and valuable strategies for the molecular diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human structural congenital anomalies. Other funding for Congenital Anomalies Initiative research is provided by other NIH institutes and centers, including the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and the Office of Dietary Supplements. The initiative supports basic scientists and clinicians whose research projects span basic, translational, and clinical approaches to understanding the developmental biology and genetics of structural congenital anomalies.
- Congenital Anomalies Initiative
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Branch (IDDB)
The IDDB sponsors research and research training aimed at preventing and ameliorating intellectual and related developmental disabilities.- Eunice Kennedy Shriver Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (EKSIDDRCs)
The EKSIDDRC program, funded by the IDDB, supports researchers whose goals are to advance understanding of a variety of conditions and topics related to Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs). The program includes 15 research centers, located at universities and children's hospitals throughout the country.
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (EKSIDDRCs)
- Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch (PPB)
The PPB seeks to improve the health of mothers and children by supporting research in maternal health, pregnancy, fetal well-being, labor and delivery, neonatal and infant health and well-being, and the long-term health outcomes associated with pregnancy and with fetal and infant development.- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network
The PPB-funded MFMU Network focuses on clinical questions in maternal fetal medicine and obstetrics, particularly with respect to the continuing problem of preterm birth. For the 2011–2016 cycle, the MFMU Network includes 14 clinical centers at U.S. universities and hospitals, and a data coordinating center. MFMU Network studies include randomized clinical trials, cohort studies, and registries. The MFMU Network has conducted clinical studies related to the following critical areas of research: maternal health; fetal health and development; gestational diabetes, asthma, and thyroid disorders; and preterm labor.
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network
- National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR)
Through basic, translational, and clinical research, NCMRR fosters development of scientific knowledge needed to enhance the health, productivity, independence, and quality of life of people with physical disabilities, including cerebral palsy. NCMRR also coordinates rehabilitation research and activities across NIH, including leading the 2021 revision of the NIH Research Plan on Rehabilitation (PDF 1.51 MB).- Spinal Cord and Musculoskeletal Disorders and Assistive Devices (SMAD) Program
The SMAD Program focuses on developing and supporting the application of devices to improve the human-environment interface and to restore or enhance an individual's capacity to function in his or her environment. This type of applied research and rehabilitation technology includes, but is not limited to, prosthetics, wheelchairs, biomechanical modeling, and other topics that aim to enhance mobility, communication, cognition, and environmental control. - Medical Rehabilitation Research Infrastructure Network (MRRIN)
The MRRIN, funded through the NCMRR with additional support from NINDS and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, builds research infrastructure in medical rehabilitation by providing investigators at seven sites with access to expertise, courses and workshops, technologies, and other collaborative opportunities from allied disciplines such as neuroscience, engineering, applied behavior, and the social sciences. Medical rehabilitation, a key component of the NICHD mission, involves basic and clinical studies in the domains of pathophysiology, impairment, function, disability, and societal interaction. Access to technologies and approaches from allied fields is critical to promoting multidisciplinary collaborations and developing research opportunities needed to advance the field.
- Spinal Cord and Musculoskeletal Disorders and Assistive Devices (SMAD) Program
Resources within the Division of Intramural Research include:
- Program in Perinatal Research and Obstetrics (PPRO)
The PPRO conducts clinical and laboratory research on maternal and fetal diseases responsible for excessive infant mortality in the United States. The PPRO focuses on the mechanisms of disease responsible for premature labor and delivery, with particular emphasis on the role of subclinical intrauterine infection and inflammation. The prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies is also a major area of interest. - Section on Tissue Biophysics and Biomimetics (STBB)
The STBB carries out research that aims to understand fundamental physical mechanisms governing tissue-level physiological processes that are essential for life, or necessary to achieve a high quality of life. Another aim is to transfer new methodologies to the biomedical research and health care communities. An example includes the invention and successful dissemination of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging from the bench to the bedside.
Other NICHD-supported resources include:
- NICHD Brain and Tissue Bank for Developmental Disorders
This resource, located at the University of Maryland Medical School, is a tissue bank designed to advance the research of developmental disorders. The objective of this human tissue repository is to systematically collect, store, and distribute brain and other tissues for research dedicated to the improved understanding, care, and treatment of individuals with developmental disorders. - Neuroscience Research Support at NICHD
NICHD is committed to supporting research in the neurosciences, particularly as they affect developing systems and rehabilitation. NICHD supports the full spectrum of basic, clinical, and translational research in the biomedical and behavioral neuroscience arenas. In addition to NICHD-sponsored initiatives and investigator-initiated projects, NICHD also supports neuroscience research through the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research. - American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM)
This organization focuses on the scientific education of health professionals and researchers who treat and study childhood disabilities. - American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
The AAP is a professional organization of pediatricians and issues policy statements, clinical reports, technical reports, and practice guidelines on a broad range of topics. - American Academy of Neurology (AAN)
The AAN is the world's largest professional association of neurologists.- AAN Practice Parameters:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The CDC conducts research and provides health information to protect the public from health threats and problems that cause death and disability.- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
This Center conducts research, develops partnerships, provides education, and works on prevention in order to promote the health of infants, children, and adults with birth defects and disabilities.
- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
- Cerebral Palsy International Research Foundation
The foundation funds research and educational activities relating to understanding and curing cerebral palsy and caring for people who have it. - Gene Expression Database Project
This NICHD-supported project integrates gene expression information from the mouse and provides a searchable index of published experiments on endogenous gene expression during development. - National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
NIAMS supports research on the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases; the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research; and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
NINDS conducts, fosters, coordinates, and guides research on the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of neurological disorders and stroke, and supports basic research in related scientific areas. NINDS is the leading Institute at NIH for research on cerebral palsy.
Please note: Links to organizations and information included on this page do not indicate endorsement from NICHD, NIH, or HHS.