How will cerebral palsy affect your child?

As a Louisiana mother whose child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, you will have many questions. How will your child’s life be affected? Will cerebral palsy negatively impact them in huge ways? Will their growth or development be stunted, and if so, how badly?

CerebralPalsy.org states immediately that this ailment does not define the afflicted. Those who suffer from cerebral palsy will, however, have certain hurdles that other children will not have to face. Your child could be affected to a mild, moderate or severe level depending on the location and severity of the injury that caused the cerebral palsy. As a neurological disorder, it can have an impact on many different aspects of your child’s life. This includes:

• Motor skill development
• Fine motor skills
• Oral motor functions
• Coordination

Your child’s muscles will also likely be affected in ways that can make reflexes and postures difficult for them to maintain or cultivate. If they’re impacted on a mild scale, then they may simply have issues with coordination or balance, such as having trouble keeping upright, standing on one foot, and so on. In severe cases, these motor skill and muscular impairments can potentially be strong enough that your child may need support in the form of a wheelchair. It’s even possible for some extreme cases of cerebral palsy to involve paralysis.

Since cerebral palsy is generally caused by an injury at or around the time of birth, it will not cause further degeneration as time progresses. It’s also not life-threatening. However, it is incurable. Children who suffer from cerebral palsy will be coping with it their entire life, so preparation is key to handling this disorder.