If your child has cerebral palsy, you have probably heard a lot about what they may never do. At Revivo Neurology Treatment Centre in Scarborough, we would rather start with what your child can do today, and what the next realistic step looks like. For more than a decade, families from across the GTA, and some from overseas, have come to us for Intensive Suit Therapy, with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) as an optional complement.
What cerebral palsy is
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term for lifelong conditions that affect movement, muscle tone and posture. It happens when the developing brain is injured or develops differently, most often before birth and sometimes during birth or early infancy. Risk factors include premature birth, low birth weight, infections in pregnancy, reduced oxygen around birth and severe newborn jaundice, though often no single cause is found. CP is the most common cause of physical disability in childhood.
One point matters a great deal: the brain injury does not get worse, but its effects on the body can change as a child grows. Bones lengthen faster than tight muscles, joints stiffen and compensating postures settle in. Consistent therapy through childhood works on the parts of the picture that can still change.
- Spastic CP, the most common type, makes muscles stiff and resistant to movement. See spasticity.
- Dyskinetic CP brings involuntary, writhing or twisting movements and fluctuating tone. See athetosis.
- Ataxic CP mainly affects balance and coordination. See ataxia.
- Mixed CP combines features of more than one type.
Doctors also describe which limbs are involved (hemiplegia, diplegia or quadriplegia) and often use the Gross Motor Function Classification System, levels I to V, to describe how a child moves. Some children also have epilepsy, vision or hearing differences, or speech and feeding difficulties; many do not.
Early signs and everyday challenges
CP is often diagnosed in the first year or two, though milder forms may appear later. Signs parents often notice include:
- Muscles that feel unusually floppy or unusually stiff
- Late or missed milestones such as head control, rolling, sitting or walking
- A strong hand preference very early, or one side that moves less
- Difficulty sucking, feeding or swallowing
- Toe walking, or legs crossing in a "scissor" pattern
Later, the challenges become practical: getting up from the floor, sitting without using the hands for support, or tiring long before the school day ends. If you are worried about your child's development, start with your family doctor or paediatrician; early diagnosis opens the door to early intervention and the right specialists.
How Revivo approaches cerebral palsy
Our core program for CP is Intensive Suit Therapy, also called the TheraSuit Method or Adeli method. The suit is a soft dynamic proprioceptive orthosis: a vest, shorts, knee pads, shoe attachments and a cap joined by elastic bungee cords that draw the body toward better alignment and load it like an external skeleton. The concept began with the "Penguin" suit designed for cosmonauts, was adapted in Russia for children with cerebral palsy, and later became the TheraSuit Method. Why it fits CP:
- Alignment. The suit supports a more upright, centred position, so muscles practise from a better starting point.
- Feedback. The cords give constant information about where the body is in space.
- Repetition. Hours of weight-bearing practice each day give the nervous system far more chances to learn than a weekly appointment.
The Universal Exercise Unit, or "spider cage", adds pulleys for isolated strengthening and a suspension set-up so your child can practise standing and stepping without fear of falling.
"We are so thrilled with the results we have seen over 3 weeks here at Revivo… Taliyah's confidence has bloomed and her strength has increased."
Amanda Fegan & Roy Cooke, parents of Taliyah, 4 · Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia
Some families add Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, in which increased pressure lets more oxygen dissolve into the plasma and body fluids. Health Canada recognizes 13 conditions for HBOT, such as decompression sickness and problem wounds, and cerebral palsy is not one of them; research for CP is mixed. We offer it as a complement, never a replacement for physiotherapy or medical care, including a combined Suit + HBOT package and home chamber rental across the GTA. Massage, speech-language pathology and other supporting therapies can be added where they help.
What an intensive program looks like
A block runs 3–4 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 3–4 consecutive weeks, Monday to Friday between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm. Specially trained physiotherapists customize it after an assessment. A typical day:
Warm-up (30–45 min)
Hot packs and deep-pressure massage relax tight muscles before gentle exercise.
Suit on (10–15 min)
The cords are adjusted to support your child's alignment for the day's goals.
Isolated strengthening (up to 1 hr)
Pulleys and weights target the muscles needed for the next skill.
Functional work (up to 1 hr)
Suspended or assisted walking, stand-ups, parallel bars and tricycle riding.
Cool-down (10–15 min)
The suit comes off and your therapist talks you through the day.
Children learn to move through practice. A concentrated block packs more focused practice into a few weeks than months of weekly sessions, and families often describe two therapists working with their child at once. Each day is paced around your child's energy and mood.
Realistic goals families work toward
We agree on goals that matter in daily life. Progress varies with age, type of CP and overall health. Goals we commonly work toward:
Head and trunk control
Holding the head up longer and sitting with less support.
Transitions
Rolling, crawling, and moving from sitting to kneeling to standing.
Standing and walking
Weight-bearing in better alignment and stepping with support.
Hands and daily life
Reaching, grasping and using both hands for play and self-feeding.
"We can now for the first time witness BIG CHANGES in our son in just the last 4 months, whereas we saw only little progress in his development during all of the first 4 years of his young life."
Diana, mother of Orlando, 4 · Mississauga, ON
Safety, suitability and your medical team
Because suit therapy is demanding, every program starts with an intake assessment of about an hour, and we may ask for clearance from your child's physician. Please tell us about hip health (including recent hip X-rays), seizures, heart or breathing conditions, a shunt, fragile bones, and any recent surgery, casting or botulinum toxin injections. If we think therapy should wait, we will say so. Keep your paediatrician or specialist in the loop; our programs complement medical care, not replace it.
CP is not one of the 13 conditions Health Canada recognizes for HBOT, so we offer it only as a complementary therapy. Side effects can include ear discomfort (eased by swallowing or yawning), temporary near-sightedness and a rare risk of seizure. If your child has epilepsy, speak with their neurologist first; lower pressures and shorter sessions reduce that risk.
Frequently asked questions
Can therapy cure cerebral palsy?
No. CP is lifelong and no therapy reverses the original brain injury. Intensive therapy aims to improve strength, posture, movement and independence, and to help prevent secondary problems such as stiff joints. Progress differs for every child.
How much does a program cost?
Consultations are free. The intake assessment is $100 CAD. Suit therapy is $122 CAD per therapy hour, so a three-week block at three hours a day is 45 hours. HBOT starts from $79 per session. Because registered therapists deliver the therapy, a significant portion may be claimable under extended health or private insurance.
How soon might we see changes?
Some families notice changes within the first week or two, often in posture, head control or confidence; others see more once the block ends. With HBOT, some notice better sleep after about 10 sessions, and more evident results are usually discussed after 40–60. Every child responds differently.
Can we combine suit therapy with HBOT?
Yes. Revivo offers a combined Suit + HBOT package. We will discuss whether it suits your child and whether their physician should weigh in first.
We live outside Toronto. Can we still come?
Yes. Families travel to our clinic at 525 Markham Road, Scarborough, from across the GTA, and some have come from abroad. A free phone consultation is a good first step before planning a three- or four-week stay.
Will my child find it too hard?
The days are long and the suit feels snug at first. Each day is paced around your child, and the load is adjusted when they are tired. Tell us what helps them stay engaged.
Medical note: this page is general information, not medical advice. Every person is different and progress varies. Please involve your family physician or specialist when planning therapy. Hyperbaric oxygen is offered at Revivo as a complementary therapy; neurological conditions are not among the 13 HBOT indications currently recognized by Health Canada.