Developmental and maladaptive plasticity in neonatal SCI

Babies and young children with early spinal cord injury (SCI) have evidence of an improved level of recovery over an extended time period. Enhanced neuroplasticity is well recognized in neonatal animal models. In the young human, developmental apraxia and learned early habitual movements mask expression of residual or recovered motor function. Techniques providing sensorimotor stimulation with threshold electrical stimulation (TES) and EMG triggered stimulation (ETS) act to increase awareness and useful function. Small cohort size and prolonged developmental maturation argue for the use of single subject research designs in this population.