What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a condition (not a disease) that affects motor ability in people of all ages. Not all symptoms are immediately noticeable and are only seen as a child develops. When diagnosing CP, doctors conduct a comprehensive, clinical evaluation process that looks for:

1. 1. Relaxed, floppy muscles or stiff, tight muscles
   2. Unusual postures
   3. Favoring one side of the body over the other
   4. Other indications via MRI

What causes cerebral palsy?

While there is not a singular cause of CP, there are risk factors:

1. Premature birth
2. Low birth weight
3. Stroke
4. Being a twins/triplet/other multiple birth
5. Lack of oxygen to the brain prior or during birth

What are the types of cerebral palsy?

1. Spastic cerebral palsy - characterized by stiffness and trouble moving
2. Dyskinetic (athetoid) - uncontrolled movements
3. Ataxic - problems with balance/depth perception
4. Mixed - combination of the 3 previous types

How can I provide support for a child diagnosed with cerebral palsy?

Early intervention is KEY. Parents should be willing to be involved as early as possible; this means providing support via tools that allow the child opportunity to stay involved, and being an advocate/asking for help and services when needed. Understand that tools are NOT a crutch, and actually serve to encourage and facilitate growth.

What are some of the cerebral palsy support groups or communities available?

1. Cerebral Palsy Alliance
2. CerebralPalsy.org
3. Kourageous Karter Foundation

TTMT's speech devices offer a variety of access methods that can be tailored to the needs of the individual.

While there are similarities in cerebral palsy diagnosis, as a diagnosis, it's different for everyone. All our options can be personalized to an individual's needs!