Cerebral Palsy
- Introduction
- What is cerebral palsy and what causes it?
- What are the symptoms of cerebral palsy?
- How is it diagnosed?
- What is the prognosis?
- What is the risk for other family members or future babies?
- What treatments/therapies/medications are recommended or available?
- How will my child and our family be impacted?
- My child has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy and his legs have continued to get stiffer despite braces. I thought that cerebral palsy wasn't progressive?
- Will hyperbaric oxygen help my child with CP?
Introduction
What is cerebral palsy and what causes it?
What are the symptoms of cerebral palsy?
- Muscle tightness or spasticity
- Disturbance in gait or mobility
- Involuntary movement
- Difficulty in swallowing and problems with speech
- Difficulty in feeding
- Impairment of sight, hearing or speech
- Abnormal sensation and perception
- Seizures
- Difficulty with bladder and bowel control
- Intellectual disability
- Learning disabilities
- Problems with breathing due to postural difficulties
- Skin disorders due to pressure sores
- Spastic cerebral palsy characterized by muscle stiffness and permanent contractions
- Spastic diplegia characterized by more significant impairment in the lower extremities
- Spastic hemiplegia characterized by one side of the body affected much more than the other, and usually the arm more than the leg
- Spastic quadriplegia characterized by whole body involvement
- Athetoid or dyskinetic cerebral palsy characterized by uncontrolled, slow, writhing movements
- Ataxic cerebral palsy characterized by poor coordination and balance
- Mixed cerebral palsy characterized by features from more than one type
How is it diagnosed?
What is the prognosis?
What is the risk for other family members or future babies?
What treatments/therapies/medications are recommended or available?
How will my child and our family be impacted?
My child has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy and his legs have continued to get stiffer despite braces. I thought that cerebral palsy wasn't progressive?
Will hyperbaric oxygen help my child with CP?
Resources
Information & Support
For Parents and Patients
Support
Cerebral Palsy Support Groups (Children's Disability Information)
A list of support groups for different types of CP and other resources
United Cerebral Palsy
National non-profit organization that provides information on a variety of topics including advocacy, conferences, insurance,
sexuality, policy, and other items for the public and providers.
General
CP Information (MedlinePlus)
Basic information and links to many additional sources of reliable information; sponsored by the National Library of Medicine.
The National Lekotek Center
A nonprofit organization dedicated to making play accessible for children with disabilities.
CP Information (American Association for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine)
Professional association with information for providers and families.
Epilepsy Association of Utah
For individuals with epilepsy, families, and friends, this site offers newsletters, events, links, local and youth support
groups, activities for kids, first aid for seizures, and more.
What is Cerebral Palsy? (mychildwithoutlimits.org)
Information about CP and other conditions; links to resources and support groups.
Cerebral Palsy Information Page from the NIH
A short description of CP; National Institutes of Health.
Cerebral Palsy Guidance
A website offering guidance and assistance to parents of a child with cerebral palsy. Topics include Cerebral Palsy, Financial
Assistance, Living with Cerebral Palsy.
Services in Idaho
Bone Densitometry/DEXA
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Camps for Children with Special Needs
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Developmental - Behavioral Pediatrics
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Early Intervention for Children with Disabilities/Delays
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Gynecology (Ped/Adol, Special Needs)
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Head Start/Early Head Start
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Learning Evaluations, Counseling
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Neuropsychiatry/Neuropsychology
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Nutrition Assessment Services
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Occupational Therapy, Pediatric
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Pediatric Gastroenterology
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Pediatric Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
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Public Special Schools
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Recreational Activities/Sports
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Services for People with Disabilities
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Sleep Studies/Polysomnography
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Special Needs Schools, Other
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Speech - Language Pathologists
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Swallow Studies
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For other services related to this condition, browse our Services categories or search our database.
Page Bibliography
Pérez-Gaxiola G.
Hyperbaric oxygen did not improve symptoms in children with cerebral palsy.
Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed.
2013;98(5):198.
PubMed abstract