Living With Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of nervous system disorders. The nervous system includes the brain, nerves, and spinal cord. CP can cause abnormal movements, abnormal body positions, and poor balance. CP affects everyone in different ways.

How can cerebral palsy affect me?

The main difficulties associated with CP are related to actions that involve your muscles (motor skills) and coordination. The main problems caused by CP include:

• Problems controlling the muscles. You may have:
  • Muscle shaking that you cannot control (tremors).
  • Muscle tightening that you cannot control (spasms).
  • Muscle weakness.
• Problems with the backbone (spine).
• Having a shorter arm or leg on one side of the body.
• Problems with muscle tone and coordination. Muscle tone is the amount of tension or resistance to movement in a muscle while you are not using it (when it is at rest). Muscle tone is different from muscle strength, which is how much force a muscle can apply.
• Posture and balance.

Other problems associated with CP may include:

• Dental problems.
• Vision problems.
• Having hard or dry bowel movements (constipation) and problems controlling when you urinate.
• Difficulty with listening, thinking, speaking, reading, writing, spelling, or doing math (learning disabilities).
• Hearing loss.
• Problems with talking or communication.
• Joint problems.

How can I talk about cerebral palsy with other people?

• Be honest about your condition and how it affects you specifically.
• Answer questions that people have.
• Help people understand that CP is related to muscle and motor skills and does not affect your intelligence.
• Let others know how they can support you.

How can I deal with the stress of having cerebral palsy?

• Take care of yourself. Exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and get enough sleep.
• Practice ways to relax, such as doing yoga or listening to music.
• Try using healthy distractions like hobbies or reading.
• Get massages.
• Spend time with family and friends.
• Prepare ahead of time for challenges. For example, if you are starting at a new school, go to the school before your first day so that you know your way around.

Follow these instructions at home:

• In addition to physical therapy, consider doing:
  • Speech and language therapy.
  • Therapy to help with daily activities and work (occupational therapy).
  • Therapy that involves fun activities (recreation therapy). This may include playing sports and going to cultural events.
• Make the most of your abilities to communicate and to move around (be mobile).
• Prepare yourself to be independent and take care of yourself. Make an effort to develop life skills and coping skills.
• Use special tools (assistive devices) to make talking, eating, seeing, hearing, and moving easier. Use assistive devices as instructed by your health care provider or physical therapist.
• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• Follow recommendations from your health care provider about exercise.

Where to find support

• Work with your health care provider and physical therapist. Ask for help if you need it.
• Think about taking classes to learn more about coping with cerebral palsy.
• Think about joining a support group in your local community for people with cerebral palsy.

Where to find more information

• Ask your health care provider for more information and resources about cerebral palsy.
• Look for local organizations that offer resources about cerebral palsy.
• With the help of a parent, search for information online from trusted sources.
• Find resources and support groups online at CP Daily Living: cpdailyliving.com  
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Hope-Through-Research/Cerebral-Palsy-Hope-Through-Research