Cerebral Palsy
A neurological condition affecting movement, posture, and coordination.
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Overview
Cerebral Palsy is group of neurological conditions affecting movement posture muscle tone. Caused by damage to developing brain before during or shortly after birth. Often oxygen deprivation stroke infection. CP is not progressive does not worsen but support needs may change with age. Affects 1 in 400 UK children. Presentation varies enormously from mild slight limp to severe needing 24-7 care. Types include spastic tight muscles dyskinetic involuntary movements ataxic balance issues or mixed. About 1 in 4 cannot walk 1 in 4 cannot talk 1 in 2 have learning disabilities. Physiotherapy occupational therapy speech therapy crucial. Equipment wheelchairs standing frames communication aids enable participation. Many live independently work have families. Biggest challenges are not physical differences but societal barriers inaccessible buildings assumptions about intelligence based on body movements or speech. People with CP often face infantilisation and low expectations despite normal or high intelligence.
Key Characteristics
- Movement coordination difficulties
- Muscle tone differences tight loose fluctuating
- May affect walking hand use speech
- Involuntary movements or tremors
- Associated conditions epilepsy learning disabilities
- Fatigue from extra movement effort
- Speech may be affected dysarthria
- Intelligence often unaffected wrongly assumed
What Helps
- Physiotherapy occupational therapy
- Mobility aids wheelchairs walkers
- Communication aids AAC eye-gaze
- Accessible environments adjustments
- Pain management when needed
- Fatigue awareness rest breaks
- Do not assume cognitive ability from physical
- Presume competence always
- Speech therapy for communication
- Adaptive equipment for independence
Note: Informational only. Consult professionals for individualised support.