Advanced Management of Pediatric Spasticity Program

Offering comprehensive expert care for children with spasticity

The Advanced Management of Pediatric Spasticity Program (AMPS) is a collaborative partnership between participating physicians and disciplines at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. Both hospitals are passionate about providing exceptional care for children. Due to the complexity involved in spasticity management, it is essential to use a program that offers the depth of professionals that the Advanced Management of Pediatric Spasticity Program can offer.

Services

The program uses a team approach, in which each member has expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of spasticity.

Evaluation Includes

• The child’s ability to function with daily activities
• The degree of spasticity and exact location
• The condition causing the spasticity
• Other tone or muscle movement disorders
• Underlying muscle strength and control
• Parent and child’s goals for treatment

Personalized Goals May Include

• Improved ability to participate in daily activities
• Improved walking
• Improved comfort, ease of care, and/or positioning
• Improved prevention of muscle contractures

Who Uses These Services

Patients that are appropriate for this program are children who are ambulatory and need advanced management of their spasticity through:

• Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy
• Intrathecal Baclofen pump
• Multilevel orthopaedic surgeries
• Complex Botox® treatments with serial casting
• Motion Analysis Center

Additional Services

Motion Analysis Center

This evaluation provides a comprehensive description of how the patient's body moves during walking, compared to age-appropriate normal walking patterns. State-of-the art technology is used to objectively measure complex joint movements, muscle activity patterns and forces acting on the body during walking.The referring physician receives a detailed written report with a video/DVD of the patient walking during the evaluation. The report gives the patient's treatment team information on the impact of tone problems, muscle contractures and bone deformities on walking, as well as recommendations for treatment interventions.

Orthotics

An orthotist assists with the fitting of orthoses that support and/or brace joints to assist with walking or other activity. The orthoses may also help to stretch muscles through prolonged positioning.

Physical Therapy

The physical therapist evaluates passive range of motion, functional skills, strength and ability.The goal of ongoing therapy is to help individuals with spasticity to be as
functional as possible.

Nursing/Case Coordination

The nurse facilitates education and patient plan of care within the AMPS treatment team.This person is also skilled in ongoing spasticity care including intrathecal baclofen treatment.

Meet the AMPS Physician Team

Neurodevelopmental

Focuses on assessment and treatment of children with developmental delays, developmental disabilities or chronic conditions effecting physical or emotional development, behavior or learning.

Neurology

Focuses on the treatment of disorders of the brain, spinal cord and nerves in the spine and extremities.

Neurosurgery

Focuses on the surgical treatment of the brain, spinal cord and the nerves in the spine and extremities.

Orthopedics

Focuses on the medical or surgical management of complications with the bones or joints.

Physiatry

Focuses on the overall physical function of a patient with emphasis on maintaining the highest level of functioning and comfort – maximizing independence through the use of therapy and/or medical equipment, orthotics or prosthetics

Contact the Advanced Management of Pediatric Spasticity Program

To make a referral or for more information, please contact the Triage Center at:

Phone

616.242.0393 - or - 800.790.8040

Email

Karen.Miller@MaryFreeBed.com

Fax Prescriptions

616.493.9827

Address

Spasticity Triage Center
Mary Free Bed Clinic
235 Wealthy SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503-5299 

Requested Documents

• Face sheet with demographics
• Recent history and physical
• Any information from specialist focused on spasticity (orthopedics, neurology, physiatry, physical therapy)
• Radiology reports (MRI, CT, X-rays)