Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy affects approximately 500,000 people in the US alone. Some babies are born with cerebral palsy while others will develop it after they are born.

A child that is diagnosed with cerebral palsy will have a hard time moving, maintaining balance and posture. Walking will be difficult and is generally delayed. In some cases of cerebral palsy, the fine motor skills are affected so writing, cutting, and picking up items can be difficult.

Seizures and mental retardation do occur in some people with the disorder. Other symptoms of the disease are vision, hearing and speech impairment, dental problems, breathing complications, feeding trouble and poor bladder/bowel control.

Parents and caregivers will notice slow development in a baby. They will likely smile, roll over, sit, crawl and walk at a later age than other babies their age. Researchers have found some risks for the disease. A baby that presents in the breech position at birth or a complicated labor/delivery will increase the chances of a child with cerebral palsy because of the possibility of brain damage.

Low apgar scores, low birth weight, stroke, lack of oxygen to the fetus during pregnancy or delivery or seizures in the newborn can all lead to the cerebral palsy. While there is no cure for cerebral palsy, medication, braces and various therapies are used as treatment methods.

Comments: Cerebral-Palsy
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Comments 1 to 10 of about 10.


Charleigh - 979 days ago.
my son is 3 and ahalf and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy about 2 years ago. he smiled a lot at first, so beautiful lashes which is what people always comment on first. :o) he was born at 27 weeks and weights 2lb 1/2 ounce. he wasin NNU for 12 weeks and came home on oxygen for a further 12 months. He still cant walk now, he gets around mainly by bum shuffling and back shuffling along the floor and is now learnign to say more words. He is developing more and more each day, just thisweekend hes learnt how to pull himself up onto furniture, and stands up only holding on, which he is so proud of :o) and me too, i nearly cried when he first did it, but doctors told me he wouldnt do any of what he is doing now~! always have faith and be strong, i dont take a single thing for granted when it comes to him, im lucky to have him, and he is so happy to be here!! :o) xx

ilovemykids2010 - 1213 days ago.
to all who is stressing about the Cerebral Palsy thing it is not all as bad as you thank ! I have CP and I'm 29 years old with a 8 1/2 year old lil girl and 36 weeks pregnant with my son and there both prefect . All you need is a loving family to stand by you.!

dallas momma - 1243 days ago.
My daughter suffered a head trauma at birth. Not 100% sure, either loss of blood or oxygen to the brain for a short time and born with fever. She had seizures for 7 days, and is now 14 years old. Although not CP...she suffers from frontal lobe brain damage and seizures that dont stop, and cant really be medicated. I just wish hospitals would take more responsibility for when they mess up. ME and my daughter have paid for it for life. I am pregnant with my second 14 years later! I was too scared to ahve another. We ahve already scheduled my c section so there is no chance for defect at birth due to hospital error... Blessings to all of Gods little angels that have to work 10 times harder just to walk on this earth.

klderoos - 1263 days ago.
dylanfreak76- I totally agree I have a good friend who gave birth to prem twins and one suffers from CP it was caused due to trauma during birth and she is the most amazing little one, just started to walk aided now at almost two, what a sweetheart.

dylanfreak76 - 1277 days ago.
I think the information stated in the opening paragraph is a little misleading. As the parent of a preemie who had spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy (among other things) I can tell you that this condition is not genetic and is due to trauma at birth. It is not generally something you are 'born with' or 'develop' as stated. Rather, something that occurs due to trauma to the brain at birth. My son suffered damage to his tiny preemie head in the birth canal which lead to C.P. The stories stated here are miraculous and he was, too!!

due oct 2009 - 1371 days ago.
I am 26 years old 32 weeks pg with my third child! I have cp the drs always told me i could get pg but never carry full term. My first child was born at 34 weeks and the 2nd at 35 weeks. bout over 5 pound neend no nicu time. Now 32 weeks with a cerclage might just make it full term this time. So i always so with god anything is possiable.

klo0426 - 1548 days ago.
My mom has CP and has Epilopsy. Actually she is very lucky to only have these two disorders. She is 59 and has lived a very normal life. My grandmother had her when she was 17 and 'didn't know' she was pregnant. She gave birth to my mom @ 5 months pregnant, way back when (Oct 1949)....so she is a miracle. At the time way back when, they didn't rush to the hospital, they waited 3 weeks before.(If the baby was going to die the family wanted it to be at home and if she made it thru, they didn't want my mom to become the new medical ginnypig). My moms exact weight at birth is unknown, 3 weeks later she weighed just over a pound and a little over 5 inches (that's what's on her birth ceritficate). Anyways my great aunts raised her. They didn't treat her any different than their own children. For her first 6 years she had leg braces and crutches. Other than that she didn't have any types of surgeries. She was a head strong child and wouldn't let people wait on her, she needed to do everything on her own. Her entire left side is effected..her left leg is 1 1/2 inches shorter than her right, her left hand has snrunched up fingers and ring size is different. Because of stubborness as a child, she has lived as normal as anyone else. She was married to my dad @ 21, preg by 22 and then again by 24. Raised me and my sister without any problems. As we were growing up we never realized that she was differnet. We never knew she was handicapped in anyway. All we ever knew was her left hand looked differnet than ours did and she limped when she walked. Once my sister started having kids, EVERYONE from my brother in laws family had issues with my mom because 'she's crippled'. We never did because we didn't think anything of it. Well, we all finally got to see how my mom took care of us as babies.....she is wonderful taking care of children. Actually some 'normal' people have more difficulties with babies than what she does. So with all that said, I feel completely ok with how my mom will be with my baby. Also I wanted to let other mothers out here know.....your kids will grow up and live normal lives, just don't baby them, threat these kids as normal as possible. Yes, they may have a physical things they can't do, but you'll be amazed on what they will be able to do.

ju73 - 1728 days ago.
my 8yr old son has cp and i treat him the same as my other children,i did however treat him diff at 1st but theres nothing wrong with his brain and he soon picked up on things that he could get away they couldnt so i have nipped that in the bud,he is due to have a op on his foot on 15th oct im dreading it,but i no its for the best for him

karla-anne - 1858 days ago.
I have CP too. I am 26 and pregnant with my first. My parents didn't treat me different. They wanted me to be just like everyone in life. I am soooo glad that they did. When I was 15 I had surgery to help correct the physical part of my CP. I do have educationally delays, I have walking problems still after surgery but its not as bad. I wish you the best with everything.

babymaker - 1859 days ago.
I just wanted to say that my 9 yr old little boy has cp. he is n a wheel chair and has developmental delays. he is very smart he can talk very good he goes to school and lives a good life. we don't treat him any different. we love him. yes its hard dealing with a handicap child but what else can u do.