For the past three years, Stacey Dusing, PhD, PT, Sykes Family Chair in Pediatric Physical Therapy and director of the USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy’s Motor Development Lab, and Christiana Butera, PhD, EdM, an assistant professor of research for the division, have been hard at work spreading the word on a progam called Early Identification and Intervention for Infants (Ei3).

The program provides a network of patient care providers and caregivers a framework to identify and intervene as early as possible for infants with early signs of cerebral palsy (CP). A new paper, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, outlines the program’s success so far.

Detecting cerebral palsy early — at 3-6 months instead of 18 months — can lead to real benefits throughout someone’s life. Neuroplasticity is higher at younger ages, so interventions can be more effective, leading to better motor skills, cognitive development and overall quality of life.

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