Skip to main content
×
  • Find A Doctor
  • About Gillette
  • Conditions & Care
  • Your Visit
  • Get Involved
  • Ways to Give
  • Locations
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • For Medical Professionals
  • Research
  • Visit us on Facebook
  • Visit us on Twitter
  • Visit us on Youtube
  • Visit us on Pinterest
  • Visit us on Instagram
  • Kids Health Matters
Gillette Children's Spcialty Healthcare LogoGillette Children's Home
I want to ...
    Search Gillette Website
    Open Mobile Navigation
    • Find A Doctor

      Gillette attracts the nation's top surgeons and physicians in many specialties. Finding the best care providers for your child begins here.

      Find a Doctor
      Select menu dropdown arrow
      Select menu dropdown arrow
      Select menu dropdown arrow

      Make an Appointment (Patients and Families):

      651-290-8707 or 800-719-4040 (toll-free).

      Refer a Patient or Consult With a Specialist (Health Care Providers):

      651-325-2200 or 855-325-2200 (toll-free)

      Meet Dr. Song

      Debbie Song, MD, is a pediatric neurosurgeon who specializes in treating complex conditions such as spina bifida, hydrocephalus and Chiari malformations.

      Learn more about neurosurgery
      Debbie Song, MD, pediatric neurosurgeon
      See all care providers at Gillette
    • About Gillette

      Children who have disabilities and complex medical needs—and their families—have been at the center of our mission for more than 120 years. Learn how we've built on this long history to help patients improve their health, achieve greater well-being, and enjoy life.

      • Why Gillette?
      • Our Leadership Team
      • Honors & Awards
      • Certification & Accreditations
      • Patient Safety & Quality
      • 2017 Annual Report
      Our History

      Meet Jo'Vonna

      Jo'Vonna loves riding her scooter, but because she has cerebral palsy, she has trouble maintaining balance. If anything besides Jo'Vonna's own determination will help her meet her goals, it's Gillette.

      Read more patient stories
      Jo
      Learn about our mission, our history and more
    • Conditions & Care

      Conditions

      • Cerebral Palsy
      • Neuromuscular Disorders
      • Scoliosis
      • Craniosynostosis
      • Brain Injury

      All Conditions

      Tests & Treatments

      • Shunt Surgery for Hydrocephalus
      • Gait and Motion Analysis
      • Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR)
      • Gillette Craniocap© Orthosis
      • Botulinum Toxin and Phenol (Injected Spasticity Medications)

      All Tests & Treatments

      Specialties & Services

      • Orthopedics
      • Rehabilitation Medicine
      • Craniofacial and Plastic Surgery
      • Neurology
      • Neurosurgery

      All Specialties & Services

      Quick Care Clinic

      If your child needs care right away, our new Quick Care Clinic is here for you.

      See all conditions, treatments and services
    • Your Visit
      Pay a Bill Log in to MyGillette Learn more about MyGillette
      Patient Education

      Your Visit

      Patient Services and Resources

      • Your Rights and Medical Records
      • Understanding Costs, Insurance and the Gillette Assistance Programs
      • Services to Support Your Family
      • Interpreter Services
      • International Patients
      • Parent Resources and Support

      Your Visit

      Prepare for Your Visit

      • Transfer Your Medical Records
      • Take a Hospital Tour
      • Prepare for Clinic Visits and Tests
      • Prepare for Surgery
      • Ways to Prepare and Comfort Your Child
      • Transportation and Accommodations

      Your Visit

      During Your Visit or Hospital Stay

      • Our Hospital Units
      • Your Hospital room
      • St. Paul Campus Amenities and Activities
      • Visit or Contact a Patient
      See more information for patients and visitors
    • Get Involved
      Volunteer Attend an Event Share Your Event Ideas with Us
      Patient giving two thumbs up
      Humans of Gillette: Share heartfelt interactions with our patients, families, employees and supporters.
      Miracle Treat Day 2018
      Apply for Gillette Family Council: Collaborate with us and become part of our family advisory group.
      • Read It's OK to Ask!
      • Celebrate Cerebral Palsy Awareness
      • Raise Spine Awareness
      • Raise Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness
      • Join Friends of Gillette
      • United Cerebral Palsy of Minnesota
      • Advocating for Your Family
      See more ways to get involved at Gillette
    • Ways To Give
      Donate Now
      All Ways to Give to Gillette Children's Foundation
      • Why Give to Gillette?
      • Contact Us About Giving

      Help Us Reach Our Goal

      Current Initiatives

      • You Helped Us Reach Our Goal
      • Donate Stocks, Bonds or Other Assets

      Attend a Fundraising event for Gillette

      Fundraise for Gillette

      • Attend an Event
      • Create a Fundraising Page
      • Have a Fundraising Idea?

      More Ways to Give

      More Ways to Give

      • Find an Employer's Matching Gift
      • Donate Items to Patients
      • Make a Planned Gift
      See all the ways to give to Gillette Children's Foundation
    Gillette Children's Print Logo
    Mateo, Gillette epilepsy patient

    Kids Health Matters
    Tag: cerebral palsy

    Home / Kids Health Matters / cerebral palsy
    Cerebral Palsy
    Gillette patient Teddy Bailey in Skyway at gillette

    Dear Theodora: One Family’s Cerebral Palsy Journey

    There are few moments in life as exciting and anxiety inducing as the day you have your first child, but for Andrew Bailey and his wife, Amanda, things were a bit more complicated. Amanda was home in Connecticut getting ready for her baby shower. Andrew, a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, was in Seattle for an away game.
    January 8, 2019
    Cerebral Palsy
    Cassidy getting ready to stand during Gopher volleyball game.

    Cassidy CAN Stand and Cheer

    Cassidy and her mom, Darcy, are two of the biggest fans of the University of Minnesota women's volleyball team. They're excited about the NCAA Division I women's volleyball tournament at Target Center in Minneapolis. While they're disappointed the Gophers will not appear in the NCAA tournament, they're proud of what the team accomplished this season. Cassidy has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and her limited use of her arms and legs means is can be difficult to stand and cheer for her team--until Gillette helped make her dream come true.
    December 7, 2018
    Cerebral Palsy

    Surgeries Keep the Promise of Independence to Kaidyn

    Learn how a selective dorsal rhizotomy and single-event multilevel surgery (SEMLS) Gillette, along with her intrinsic determination, has led to newfound independence and confidence for Kaidyn.
    November 21, 2018
    Cerebral Palsy
    Group photo of Gillette patients at TCF field during Mauer event

    Sports, Fundraising and Fun at the Mauer and Friends Kids Classic

    It's rare for a singular event to bring so much joy and meaning to so many individuals and organizations, but Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare's celebration of the 3rd Annual Mauer and Friends Kids Classic, did just that. The event took place on a perfect, June day, and 25 Gillette patients and their families had the experience of a lifetime down on the grass of Target Field.
    June 26, 2018
    Gillette patient Ronin with mom

    Expansion of Complex Care Services at Gillette Streamlines Care for Families

    In the United States, approximately one in twenty-five children is considered “medically complex.” What this means is that these are individuals who have multiple chronic and severe health conditions.
    May 29, 2018
    Gillette on the Job

    Why I’m Here: For My Sister, for My Patients

    When I work with my patients, something that comes out over time is that I understand the profound stress and anxiety that can come with caring for a child who has complex medical needs. I know this because I’ve devoted my career to working with patients who have disabilities, but also because I’ve lived it.
    May 20, 2018
    Gillette on the Job
    Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare Environment of Care specialist, Mary Mensha

    Moms Bring Comfort and Caring to Gillette

    Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare has several members of our staff who are moms to Gillette patients. These devoted parents and employees help make Gillette a special place.
    May 11, 2018
    Awards and Achievements

    Title of ‘Minnesota Miss Amazing’ Gives Katie Allee Platform for Advocacy

    On April 7th, 2018, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Minnesota Miss Amazing pageant. I was lucky enough to learn about this event from a friend who became involved in the past, and had expressed that the event was an awesome experience for her and her family.
    April 24, 2018
    Cerebral Palsy
    Sophia in the James R. Gage Center for Gait and Motion Analysis

    Family Makes 700-Mile Journey to Treat Daughter’s Cerebral Palsy

    "Every step Sophia takes is a testament to the countless dedicated individuals who made it possible," says her mother, Susan Slinkard. Sophia and her family traveled from Arkansas to Minnesota for major neurosurgery aimed at reducing Sophia's spasticity.
    April 20, 2018
    Cerebral Palsy

    The Long Way Round: A Look Back on my Treatment for Cerebral Palsy

    When Jenna Robinson was born, she only weighed three pounds and doctors told her parents she’d never be a “rocket scientist.” Now 28, she holds a Master’s degree in social work and has dedicated her life to helping individuals who have disabilities lead more independent lives.
    March 21, 2018
    Disability Advocacy

    Virtual Reality Bolsters Clinical Care at Gillette

    The hospital can be a scary place for anyone, especially a child, and no matter how nice the staff is or how thoughtfully the clinical spaces are designed, it’s usually difficult for a patient to forget they’re in one. At Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, that’s no longer the case.
    February 20, 2018
    Cerebral Palsy
    Gillette patient Kaidyn with therapy dog at Gillette.

    Help Fund Animal-Assisted Therapy at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare

    “I don’t think it would surprise anyone to learn that a lot of children love dogs,” says Emily DeBreto. “While we’ve had volunteers bring in therapeutic dogs at the hospital for comfort, we wanted to get our dogs more involved with the actual functional aspects of the therapy we’re providing.”
    November 16, 2017
    Cerebral Palsy

    A Smile to Put the Sun Out of Business: How the Carothers Family Fights Their Happy Battles

    "This kid is without a doubt my hero. I am without a doubt his biggest fan," says Ross Carothers of his son, Mikey, who has schizencephaly. Learn how the generosity of donors has supported Mikey's family and how they've given back in return.
    October 12, 2017
    Disability Advocacy

    Driven by Compassion, Gillette Nurse Leads by Example for 40 Years

    Becky Hamilton can’t help but get a bit emotional as she prepares to hang up her scrubs after 40 years as a Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare nurse. She’ll freely tell you that when you devote so much of your life to an organization, your colleagues become like family. This goes for your patients as well.
    October 10, 2017
    Cerebral Palsy

    The Journey of Mateo Arcos: Hope, Love and Cerebral Palsy

    As he ambles down a long hospital hallway, smiling with every step and practically daring you to do the same, it can be pretty easy to forget that this wasn't supposed to happen. Mateo Arcos was never supposed to walk.
    October 5, 2017
    Cerebral Palsy

    Connor Church: After 12 Years, Finally a Gait Lab Graduate

    In 2016, Connor Church finally went to his first Minnesota Twins baseball game. Even more exciting than that: His doctors at Gillette deemed him a Gait Lab Graduate. Meaning after more than 12 years and 30 procedures, Connor would spend the rest of his summers surgery-free.
    October 2, 2017
    Cerebral Palsy

    Why Medicaid Matters to my Family: Let’s Talk About it

    Rebecca Pierce, the mother of a Gillette patient, speaks out about the importance of protecting Medicaid for children who have disabilities.
    September 26, 2017
    Cerebral Palsy

    The Story of Maia Gochez: Seashore Explorer, Road Trip Enthusiast

    Maia Gochez pursues anything that catches her fancy: horseback riding, cute sandals, traveling the country. And she’s courageous enough to overcome anything that might stand in the way—even her cerebral palsy diagnosis.
    August 15, 2017
    Cerebral Palsy

    International Research Collaboration Between Hospitals Helps Treat Children Who Have Chronic Pain

    Pain affects all aspects of life, but for many of us, it’s an abstract concept. But, for a moment, imagine what it would feel like to experience chronic pain for an entire month. Start with that, but now expand it out to a year—or maybe even, every day of your life.
    August 9, 2017
    Cerebral Palsy

    She’s Katie. It’s Not What She Has, It’s Who She Is

    Katie Allee takes Advanced Placement classes. She’s 15, and she’s a straight-A student. Her mind? It’s all there, and she’ll tell you as much. But when it comes to her body physically, for much of her life, she’s had difficulty.
    July 10, 2017
    Cerebral Palsy

    Unstoppable Adli: Life After a Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis

    The emotional roller coaster that follows a cerebral palsy diagnosis never goes away. But Ami Hagen, our guest author and mother of Adli, a Gillette patient, says the ups are so worth the downs. Ami tells us about her joys, her worries, and raising a daughter with unwavering spirit.
    May 30, 2017
    Cerebral Palsy

    Twice the Hope for Help with Cerebral Palsy

    They came to Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare with twice the hope. Twice the dreams. Twice the determination.The Bracho Diaz family left their native Venezuela eager for another round of expert care for their 10-year-old twin daughters Maria de los Angels and Maria Antonieta. Yes, identical twin sisters who share the name Maria and a diagnosis of spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy.
    May 8, 2017
    Brain Injury and Concussion

    Caring for Karley: Growing Up After Anoxic Brain Injury

    "If there is anything that I want people to understand, it’s that parents who have children who have disabilities want what any parent wants for their child."
    March 2, 2017
    Search Kids Health Matters

    Subscribe

    Stay "in the know" with our Kids Health Matters e-newsletter!

    Receive the latest stories and news from Gillette delivered straight to your inbox.

    Subscribe to the Kides Health Matters E-Newsletter
    Share to Facebook
    Share to Twitter
    Send an Email
    Print Page
    • Topics

      • Awards and Achievements
      • Brain Injury and Concussion
      • Cerebral Palsy
      • Craniofacial
      • Disability Advocacy
      • Epilepsy and Seizures
      • Gait Analysis
      • Gillette on the Job
      • Giving
      • Meet Us Monday
      • My Gillette Story
      • Neurology and Neurosurgery
      • Orthopedics
      • Patient Stories
      • Pediatric Trauma
      • Rare Conditions
      • Rehabilitation
      • Research and Innovation
      • Safety and Wellness
      • Spina Bifida
      • Spine and Scoliosis
      • Uncategorized
    • Recent Posts

      • No Helmet, No Slide: Wear a Helmet While Sledding, Because Your Brain Matters
      • Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy, a Great Dane and the Minnesota Twins: Cameron’s “Wild Journey” to Improved Mobility
      • Vagus Nerve Stimulation Gives Wyatt His Childhood Back
      • Lengthening Limbs to Transform Lives: Gillette Welcomes Aaron Huser, DO
      • Limb-Lengthening and the Triumphant Life of Kate Ketelhohn
      • Dear Theodora: One Family’s Cerebral Palsy Journey
      • Gillette Foundation Lands Generous Grant That Will Help Expand Our Spine Program
      • Cassidy CAN Stand and Cheer
    • Archives

      • February, 2019
      • January, 2019
      • December, 2018
      • November, 2018
      • October, 2018
      • September, 2018
      • August, 2018
      • July, 2018
      • June, 2018
      • May, 2018
      • April, 2018
      • March, 2018
      • February, 2018
      • January, 2018
      • December, 2017
      • November, 2017
      • October, 2017
      • September, 2017
      • August, 2017
      • July, 2017
      • June, 2017
      • May, 2017
      • April, 2017
      • March, 2017
      • February, 2017
      • January, 2017
      • December, 2016
      • November, 2016
      • October, 2016
      • September, 2016
      • August, 2016
      • July, 2016
      • June, 2016
      • May, 2016
      • April, 2016
      • March, 2016
      • More Archives
      Scroll to see more

    MyGillette Patient Portal

    Access medical records, pay bills and view upcoming appointments.
    Log In to Your Account
    Learn more about MyGillette

    Subscribe

    Stay up to date with what's going on at Gillette by subscribing to our newsletters.
    Newsletter Signup



    Give

    As a not-for-profit hospital, Gillette relies on supporters like you. Thank you!
    Donate Online Now
    See other ways to support Gillette
    Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare
    200 University Avenue East. St. Paul MN 55101
    • Visit us on Facebook
    • Visit us on Twitter
    • Visit us on Youtube
    • Visit us on Pinterest
    • Visit us on Instagram
    • Kids Health Matters

    Call

    • Patient Appointments
      651-290-8707 / 800-719-4040
    • Provider Referrals & Consultations
      651-325-2200 / 855-325-2200
    • Main Phone Number
      651-291-2848 / 800-719-4040
    • Speak to a Telehealth Nurse
      (Existing Patients Only)

      651-229-3890 / 800-719-4040

    Locations

    • Twin Cities
    • St. Paul Campus
    • Burnsville Clinic
    • Maple Grove Clinic
    • Minnetonka Clinic
    • Minnetonka Therapies
    • Gillette Hennepin Healthcare Clinic
    • Phalen Clinic
    • Greater Minnesota
    • Baxter Clinic
    • Bemidji Clinic
    • Duluth Clinic
    • Willmar Clinic
    • Gillette Mankato Clinic
    • Other Greater Minnesota Locations
    • Other Links
    • Contact Us
    • Careers
    • Research
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Refer a Patient
    • Media Inquiries
    Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
    • Legal Notices
    • Accessibility
    • Site Map
    • Site Credits
    © 2019 Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare