Introduction
Cerebral palsy refers to a group of disorders that affect movement. It is a permanent, but not unchanging, physical disability caused by an injury to the developing brain, usually before birth.
Cerebral palsy may only be mild and cause only a slight disruption to a person’s daily life. It can also be more severe, affecting the whole body and may significantly impact how a person participates in daily activities.
In Australia, there are approximately 33,000 people with cerebral palsy. Worldwide, the incidence of cerebral palsy is 1 in 500 births. For most people with cerebral palsy, the cause is unknown. There is no known cure.
Types
There are three predominant types of cerebral palsy and each are characterised by different movement patterns. Movements can be uncontrolled or unpredictable, muscles can be stiff or tight and in some cases people have shaky movements or tremors.
Associated Impairments
In addition to their motor disability, people with cerebral palsy may have other associated impairments including epilepsy, and disorders of speech, vision, hearing and/or intellect.
Diagnosis
Cerebral palsy, except in its mildest forms, can be seen in the first 12 months of life. Doctors may suspect cerebral palsy if a baby has slow motor development (does not reach movement milestones) has tight or floppy muscle tone, or displays unusual postures. Babies most at risk of cerebral palsy are those born prematurely or with low birth weight. Multiple births (e.g. twins or triplets) are also associated with higher rates of cerebral palsy.
Life Expectancy
Most people with cerebral palsy have a normal life expectancy. The damage to the brain that causes cerebral palsy does not progress (get worse) as the person gets older.
Research
Ongoing research is vital for the management of cerebral palsy. The Research Foundation of Cerebral Palsy Alliance is committed to research, education and information that targets optimal interventions and services for people with a disability.
An Australian Cerebral Palsy Register has been developed to be a source of data to support research in monitoring rates of cerebral palsy, identifying interventions that can effectively improve quality of life, identifying causal pathways, and the evaluation of future prevention strategies for cerebral palsy. The first Australian Cerebral Palsy Register Report [PDF - 1.67 MB] was published in January 2010.
My Child Has Just Been Diagnosed
Finding out that your child has cerebral palsy leaves most parents shocked and wondering what the future might hold.
The important thing to remember is that no two children with cerebral palsy or their families are the same. It’s very hard in the early stages to predict what impact cerebral palsy will have and what the future may hold.
So much can be done to support children with cerebral palsy and their families nowadays. Despite the initial shock, parents universally say that after a time, the personality of their child shines through and the fact that they have cerebral palsy becomes secondary.
There are many services out there to help you and your child - with early intervention, equipment and family support. Over time, you will meet many other parents and special individuals – who you may not have otherwise met – and these people will make the journey easier for you.
Our Newly Diagnosed section may help you through some of the earliest days.
