Learning that your child or a loved one has cerebral palsy is a very hard moment that will be coupled with hardships and difficulties down the road. It is critical to ensure that a child with cerebral palsy has the best treatment possible to live a happy life, including the big 3 T’s of physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.

Symptoms and complications 

It’s important to be on the lookout for possible complications relating to cerebral palsy (not to mention other impactful developmental disorders) from day one. Significant fluctuations in muscle movements ranging from too stiff to too floppy are the biggest warning signs of cerebral palsy.

Read more about symptoms to look out for as well as additional complications resulting from cerebral palsy here. With that in mind, don’t get too overwhelmed (Really, don’t. A key aspect of being a parent to a child with cerebral palsy is keeping a good attitude). The good news out of all this is that the condition itself doesn’t worsen, even though some individual symptoms might appear more pronounced with age and growth.

Physical therapy 

The most preventable problem with cerebral palsy is muscle shortening and rigidity, which is reinforced by spasms and lack of motor control. While CP is not curable, a robust physical therapy regimen will make a big difference in minimizing muscle and joint problems. Finding a good physical therapist is key here, and, if possible, it will be very beneficial to find someone who can continue to work with your child from an early age onwards. 

Physical therapy is a critical component of long-term care, and it’s crucial that you and your child have a good relationship with your physical therapist. They will become an integral part of your child’s development, and this should drive home the point that maintaining one therapist you both trust and get along with is far better than switching PTs too much. You and your child will benefit from trusted communication and openness with a good PT.

Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy is equally crucial in terms of the impact it has on a child with cerebral palsy being able to engage in everyday activities as much as possible. Because of the physical limitations resulting from the condition, occupational therapists are trained to teach children with CP how to get dressed, brush their teeth, or even play a musical instrument.

We take these day-to-day activities for granted, but they are a huge challenge for anyone living with cerebral palsy, even in mild cases. 

Other ways an occupational therapist can help your child is with:

• Learning effective ways to eat on their own, if possible
• Fostering creative movements 
• Working on some degrees of independence in the bathroom 
• Helping them play and learn
• Offering positive reinforcement and feelings of accomplishment
• Improving quality of life and happiness 

Speech therapy

A common symptom of cerebral palsy is a speech impediment or other severe difficulties with linguistic communication. A good speech therapist can go a long way in reducing these difficulties and showing a child with cerebral palsy how to effectively communicate. In some milder cases, speech therapy started early can be close to 100% effective in allowing for ease of communication.

This makes a huge difference in a child’s life, particularly when it comes to socializing in school and making friends, not to mention good communication with family and doctors. Like with physical and occupational therapists, it is particularly ideal for children to have a consistent and routine therapist.

What should I do if my child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy?

Although raising a child with cerebral palsy is often fraught with difficulties and can be unpredictable, you shouldn’t be discouraged from thinking that your child can’t live a happy life. Some forms of cerebral palsy can be mild, with individuals who have mild cases often living into their 50s and 60s. 

You should be aware before having children what you can do to reduce risks. Infections during pregnancy are big risk factors, including herpes, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, zika virus or similar strains, and rubella. The good news is the last one is avoidable with a vaccine. Exposure to mercury is also very dangerous to fetal health.

While some risks are avoidable by parents, cerebral palsy can also be caused by the negligence of hospital caregivers or attending physicians at birth. If this applies to you, don’t wait too long to find out if you can receive benefits that will help you and your child with long term care treatment costs for cerebral palsy. A cerebral palsy lawyer can provide some financial relief for affected families.

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