Cerebral palsy is a physical disability that affects the way that a person moves.
An Australian child is born with cerebral palsy every 15 hours. It is the most common physical disability in childhood.
Cerebral palsy is caused by an injury to the developing brain, which
usually occurs before birth.
It is a lifelong condition, but its impact varies from person to person. It can be very mild - e.g. a weakness in one hand - or more severe, where a person has almost no voluntary movement.
There is no known cure and, for most people with cerebral palsy, the cause is unknown.
25% of children with cerebral palsy are unable to walk and 60% have impaired speech. There are also a number of other conditions associated with cerebral palsy, including epilepsy and intellectual disability.
Learn More About Cerebral Palsy
Browse through our What is Cerebral Palsy: Basic Guide to find out more about cerebral palsy including how it is diagnosed, the treatments available and what the future may hold.
Parents and Families
Our My Child with Cerebral Palsy section offers practical suggestions on parenting a child with cerebral palsy, a special section for parents of newly diagnosed children, a transition toolkit for teenagers, family stories and tips on looking after yourself and your family.
