At 9-months-old, cerebral palsy left Chloe Levine unable to crawl and with a permanently clenched right fist. Three years later, however, the girl has full use of her limbs and functions much like any other child her age thanks to an infusion of her own stem cells.

The toddler underwent a new and still experimental procedure whereby doctors re-infused the girl with stem cells drawn from her own umbilical cord, which her parents had banked at birth. Just days after the 15-minute infusion of cells, Chloe showed signs of improvement. Soon the toddler’s right side loosened and her speech improved.

While Chloe’s progress was quick, doctors say it takes many children months to respond to the treatment, which is still being researched. Further, it is unclear how long the positive effects of the treatment will last, but the results so far are promising.

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In addition to cerebral palsy, researchers are looking at how so-called cord blood — the blood drawn from the umbilical cord — could be useful in people with brain injuries, diabetes and a series of other conditions, reports Fox News. To read more click here.

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