Can cerebral palsy be treated? "Management" is a better word than "treatment." Management consists of helping the child achieve maximum potential in growth and development. This should be started as early as possible with identification of the very young child who may have a developmental disorder. A management program can then be started promptly to include attention to the child’s movement, learning, speech, hearing, and social and emotional development. In these programs, physicians, therapists, educators, nurses, social workers, and other professionals assist the family as well as the child. Certain medications, surgery, and braces may be used to improve nerve and muscle coordination and prevent dysfunction.