When a child experiences a neurological injury during or around the time of birth, the effects can be life-altering for the entire family. Conditions such as perinatal stroke, hydrocephalus, and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) disrupt the delicate process of brain development and can lead to lasting challenges with movement, cognition, and overall function. The Stem Cell & PRP Institute of L.A. in Beverly Hills offers families access to advanced regenerative therapies that may support neurological repair and complement conventional care for these complex conditions.
Dr. Padra Nourparvar – a board-certified physician with specialized training from UCLA, Mount Sinai, NYU, UC Irvine, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles – brings over a decade of experience in regenerative medicine to families navigating these diagnoses. Drawing from the latest research, including Duke University’s pioneering work with cord blood infusions for neurodevelopmental disorders, our clinic provides personalized treatment protocols designed to support each child’s unique path toward improved function and quality of life.
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Perinatal Stroke
Understanding Perinatal Stroke
Perinatal stroke refers to a disruption of blood flow to the brain occurring between 20 weeks of gestation and 28 days after birth. This interruption — whether caused by a blood clot (ischemic stroke) or bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke) — deprives developing brain tissue of oxygen and essential nutrients. Perinatal stroke affects approximately 1 in 2,500 to 4,000 live births, making it one of the leading causes of cerebral palsy and a significant contributor to childhood neurological disability.
Risk factors include maternal health conditions, placental abnormalities, blood clotting disorders, cardiac defects, and complications during labor and delivery. In many cases, the underlying cause remains unknown, leaving families searching for answers and effective treatment options.
Impact on Neurological Development
The effects of perinatal stroke depend on the location and extent of brain injury. Because the stroke occurs during a critical window of brain development, the consequences often become apparent as the child grows and developmental milestones are missed or delayed. Common impacts include:
- Motor Impairment: weakness or paralysis on one side of the body (hemiparesis), difficulty with coordination, and challenges with fine motor skills
- Cognitive Effects: learning difficulties, attention challenges, and delays in language development
- Seizure Disorders: epilepsy develops in approximately 30-50% of children with perinatal stroke
- Visual and Sensory Deficits: impaired vision, spatial awareness difficulties, and sensory processing challenges
Conventional Care Considerations
Standard management of perinatal stroke focuses on addressing symptoms and maximizing function through rehabilitation. Physical therapy helps improve motor control and prevent contractures, while occupational therapy supports fine motor development and daily living skills. Speech therapy addresses language delays, and constraint-induced movement therapy may encourage use of the affected limb. Anti-seizure medications are prescribed when epilepsy is present. While these interventions provide valuable support, they do not directly address the underlying brain injury or promote neural repair.
Regenerative Medicine for Perinatal Stroke
Emerging research suggests that stem cell and exosome therapies may offer additional benefit for children with perinatal stroke by targeting the biological processes underlying brain injury. Duke University’s Expanded Access Program — FDA-approved since 2017 — has included perinatal stroke among the neurodevelopmental conditions treated with cord blood infusions, demonstrating that these approaches can be safely administered to pediatric patients.
Regenerative therapies may support recovery by reducing neuroinflammation that continues after the initial injury, promoting the formation of new neural connections through enhanced neuroplasticity, releasing growth factors that support surviving brain tissue, and modulating immune responses that can contribute to ongoing damage. At the Stem Cell & PRP Institute of L.A., Dr. Nourparvar evaluates each child individually to determine whether regenerative protocols may complement their existing care plan.
Hydrocephalus
Understanding Hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus is characterized by an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the ventricles of the brain. This buildup creates pressure that can damage delicate brain tissue and interfere with normal development. The condition may be present at birth (congenital hydrocephalus) or develop later due to injury, infection, or other causes (acquired hydrocephalus). Approximately 1 in 500 children are born with hydrocephalus, making it one of the most common developmental disorders affecting the brain.
Causes include genetic abnormalities, neural tube defects such as spina bifida, intraventricular hemorrhage (particularly in premature infants), infections during pregnancy, and structural malformations that obstruct CSF flow. Early diagnosis and intervention are critical to minimizing long-term neurological impact.
Impact on Neurological Development
The pressure from accumulated fluid can cause widespread effects on brain development. The severity of impact depends on how quickly the condition is identified and treated, the underlying cause, and the extent of brain tissue affected. Common developmental consequences include:
- Motor Delays: difficulty achieving milestones such as sitting, crawling, and walking; coordination problems; and muscle weakness or spasticity
- Cognitive Challenges: memory difficulties, processing speed deficits, and learning disabilities that may affect academic performance
- Vision Problems: downward deviation of the eyes (sunsetting sign), visual processing difficulties, and potential optic nerve damage from increased pressure
- Behavioral and Social Effects: attention deficits, difficulty with social cues, and emotional regulation challenges
Conventional Care Considerations
The primary treatment for hydrocephalus is surgical intervention to divert excess CSF and reduce intracranial pressure. Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts — tubes that drain fluid from the brain to the abdominal cavity — remain the most common approach. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) offers a shunt-free alternative for appropriate candidates by creating a new pathway for CSF drainage. Following surgical management, children typically require ongoing monitoring, developmental therapies, and educational support. Shunt complications, including malfunction and infection, often necessitate revision surgeries throughout the child’s life.
Regenerative Medicine for Hydrocephalus
While surgery addresses the mechanical problem of fluid accumulation, it cannot repair damage already sustained by brain tissue. Regenerative therapies represent an emerging area of investigation aimed at supporting neurological recovery in children with hydrocephalus. Duke University has included hydrocephalus in its Expanded Access Program for cord blood infusions, recognizing the potential for cellular therapies to complement surgical management.
Stem cell and exosome therapies may benefit children with hydrocephalus by reducing inflammation associated with pressure-related brain injury, supporting repair of white matter tracts damaged by ventricular enlargement, promoting neural regeneration and synaptic connectivity, and enhancing the brain’s natural plasticity during critical developmental windows. Dr. Nourparvar works closely with each family to determine whether regenerative protocols may be appropriate as part of a comprehensive care strategy.
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
Understanding Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy
Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) occurs when the brain is deprived of adequate oxygen and blood flow around the time of birth. This oxygen deprivation triggers a cascade of cellular damage that can result in significant neurological injury. HIE affects approximately 1.5 to 2.5 per 1,000 live births in developed countries and represents one of the leading causes of neonatal death and long-term disability worldwide.
Causes include umbilical cord complications (such as prolapse or compression), placental abruption, uterine rupture, maternal blood pressure abnormalities, prolonged or difficult labor, and respiratory failure after birth. The severity of HIE is classified as mild, moderate, or severe based on clinical examination and diagnostic testing, with outcomes ranging from full recovery to profound developmental disability.
Impact on Neurological Development
The brain injury caused by HIE can affect multiple areas of development depending on the duration and severity of oxygen deprivation. Damage typically occurs in a biphasic pattern — an initial injury followed by a secondary wave of cell death over the subsequent hours and days. Developmental consequences may include:
- Cerebral Palsy: the most common outcome of moderate to severe HIE, affecting movement, muscle tone, and posture
- Intellectual Disability: ranging from mild learning difficulties to significant cognitive impairment depending on injury severity
- Epilepsy: seizure disorders develop in many children with HIE, sometimes appearing immediately after birth or emerging later in childhood
- Sensory Impairments: hearing loss, visual impairment, and cortical visual impairment affecting the brain’s ability to process visual information
- Feeding and Respiratory Difficulties: swallowing dysfunction and breathing challenges that may require ongoing medical management
Conventional Care Considerations
Therapeutic hypothermia (cooling therapy) has become the standard of care for moderate to severe HIE when initiated within six hours of birth. By lowering the baby’s body temperature, this intervention reduces the secondary wave of brain injury and improves outcomes. Following the acute period, care focuses on supportive management and developmental rehabilitation. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and early intervention programs help children achieve their maximum potential. Medications may be needed to manage seizures, spasticity, or other symptoms.
Despite advances in acute care, many children with HIE continue to experience significant developmental challenges. This has driven interest in regenerative approaches that might support ongoing neural repair beyond the immediate newborn period.
Regenerative Medicine for HIE
HIE has been a focus of regenerative medicine research due to the clear need for therapies that can support brain repair after the initial injury. Duke University’s Expanded Access Program specifically includes HIE (oxygen deprivation at birth) among the conditions treated with cord blood infusions, reflecting promising early evidence that cellular therapies may benefit these patients.
“The developing brain has remarkable capacity for recovery,” notes Dr. Nourparvar. “Regenerative therapies aim to support that natural healing process by reducing ongoing inflammation, protecting vulnerable neurons, and promoting the formation of new connections. For children with HIE, this may translate into improved motor function, cognitive development, and overall quality of life.”
Stem cell and exosome therapies may address HIE-related injury through anti-inflammatory effects that limit ongoing damage to brain tissue, neuroprotective factors that support the survival of at-risk neurons, promotion of angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation) to improve blood supply to injured areas, and enhancement of neuroplasticity during the critical early years of brain development.
Why Families Choose the Stem Cell & PRP Institute of L.A.
- Pediatric Expertise: Dr. Nourparvar’s training at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and other leading institutions provides specialized knowledge in treating neurological conditions in children
- Evidence-Based Protocols: treatment approaches informed by peer-reviewed research and aligned with programs like Duke University’s Expanded Access initiative
- Comprehensive Treatment Options: access to multiple regenerative modalities including cord blood stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and exosome therapy
- Family-Centered Care: compassionate support that prioritizes your child’s comfort and addresses the concerns of parents and caregivers
- Coordinated Approach: collaboration with your child’s existing care team to ensure regenerative therapies complement established treatment plans
Stem Cell & PRP Institute of L.A.
Premier center for regenerative medicine under the leadership of Dr. Padra Nourparvar, a nationally recognized, double board-certified physician with advanced medical training from UCLA, UC Irvine, NYU, and Mount Sinai, we specialize in cutting-edge stem cell therapies designed to restore function, reduce inflammation, and elevate long-term quality of life.
Dr. Nourparvar has received numerous accolades, including the UCLA Vice Provost Prize for Best Research Article of the Year and the Motif Award for Advancement of Health from The Walt Disney Company. With over a decade of experience treating conditions such as kidney failure, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and more, he brings a rare combination of technical skill and human compassion to every patient encounter.
Schedule a Consultation in Beverly Hills
If your child has been diagnosed with perinatal stroke, hydrocephalus, HIE, or another neurological condition, regenerative medicine may offer additional support for their development and recovery. Dr. Padra Nourparvar and the team at the Stem Cell & PRP Institute of L.A. are committed to helping families explore every avenue toward improved outcomes. Contact our Beverly Hills clinic today to schedule a comprehensive evaluation and learn whether stem cell or exosome therapy may be appropriate for your child’s unique needs.