What are the Signs & Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?

By admin | Published: February 12, 2015

Signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy may be evident at birth, however it is often the case that cerebral palsy remains undiagnosed until the first few months or years of a child’s life.

If a child is not reaching certain developmental goals at the same time as their peers, it could be a tell-tale sign that they have cerebral palsy. CP can affect children in unique ways and symptoms will differ greatly from child to child.

In some cases, symptoms can be severe whereas in others, conditions are milder. They can also affect different parts of a child’s body.

We bring you a general guide on the signs and symptoms to look out for when identifying cerebral palsy. Read More »

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Coping with a Diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy

By admin | Published: February 5, 2015

Hearing the words “your child has cerebral palsy” can be difficult and many parents find it hard to deal with the questions, confusion and emotions that follow a diagnosis.

You may be left feeling confused about what to do or how to feel, and while we understand that every family will handle a cerebral palsy diagnosis differently, here is a general guide to coping with the journey.

Acceptance

After the distress and finality of a diagnosis kicks in, you will learn to accept that your hopes for your child’s health and future may now be different. You will then be able to work on ensuring your child is as happy and healthy as possible. Understand and remind yourself that cerebral palsy is unpredictable and the best thing you can do is be flexible and adapt daily life to enable your child to live successfully with the condition. Read More »

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Cerebral Palsy Best Man Reads Speech

By admin | Published: January 29, 2015

Identical twin brothers Kyle and Korey became online sensations last month after a recorded version of their amazing expression of brotherly love hit the internet.

In January last year Kyle Soderman got married, but it wasn’t the ceremony that caught everyone’s attention – it was the best man’s speech, written by his brother Korey who has lived with cerebral palsy since birth.

The twin’s parents Wendy and Kris Soderman explained how they were forced to make a life or death decision after Korey stopped growing at 20 weeks causing his heart to fail at 32 weeks.

“He was one pound,” Wendy said, “They said he would not be normal physically. But they didn’t know the extent but we would risk our normal son if we chose to save him. It was our choice to make and they stepped out of the room and gave us 3 minutes.” Read More »

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Winter Care for Kids with Cerebral Palsy

By admin | Published: January 22, 2015

With the New Year comes new challenges for parents of children with cerebral palsy. Whether it’s the logistics of going back to school, transportation, or keeping a child active during the colder months, there is a wide spectrum of hurdles for children with CP during the winter.

There is a great deal of support and information available for families of children with cerebral palsy should you find yourself facing any challenges this winter:

Back to school

With January comes the mad rush of back to school. After the excitement of the Christmas holidays it may take a while to get your child back into a structured routine. Read More »

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CP Teens Report High Quality of Life

By admin | Published: January 15, 2015

New research published by academics at Newcastle University has revealed that adolescents with cerebral palsy have a quality of life equal to their able bodied peers.

The study is the first to track the quality of life of young people living with cerebral palsy from childhood through to adolescence.

Research focused on 431 participants (aged 8-17) from 9 different European regions.

The adolescents self-reported their experiences in a questionnaire which quizzed them on 10 different areas of life quality. The results were then compared to answers given by children who were not living with cerebral palsy. Read More »

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How to Choose a Birth Injury Lawyer

By admin | Published: January 8, 2015

A birth injury occurs occasionally during the birth process. The baby may suffer physical injury, which is simply a result of being born, however this usually occurs during a difficult delivery.

Cerebral palsy is a life-long condition and can affect individuals in different ways. Some children with cerebral palsy will have learning difficulties while others may suffer from physical disabilities. Adapted facilities and additional care require a significant amount of money and for this reason many people choose to make a claim for compensation to help their child to remain financially secure and enable them to receive the best standard of care.

Pursuing a claim for a birth injury can be a daunting process so it’s important that you have an experienced and specialist solicitor on your side to maximise your chances of success. Read More »

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Cerebral Palsy & Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy

By admin | Published: December 23, 2014

Currently there is no cure for cerebral palsy, however there are a variety of resources, surgeries and therapies available that could help improve the quality of life for your child.

What is SDR?

Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (or SDR) is a neurological procedure that aims to help children with severe spasticity in their lower limbs. It is commonly used to help improve walking in children with spastic diplegia – a form of cerebral palsy characterised by hypertonia and spasticity.

How is SDR Performed?

SDR is performed by cutting some of the nerve roots in the end of the spinal cord in order to relieve leg stiffness. The process usually takes around 4 hours while your child is under general Read More »

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Christmas Gift Guide for Children with CP

By admin | Published: December 18, 2014

With only one week to go until Christmas Day, many parents will be frantically rushing round the shops trying to get those last few bits to fill the kids stockings.

It can be a struggle for any parent to find affordable and rewarding Christmas gifts for their children, but for parents of children with cerebral palsy there can be even more obstacles when it comes to finding the perfect present.

We know you’re an expert when it comes to your child, but if you need a little helping hand this year we’ve written our very own gift guide to help you find a present they’ll love. Read More »

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Britain’s Got Talent Comedian Lands Sitcom Roles

By admin | Published: December 11, 2014

After finishing in second place in last year’s Britain’s Got Talent series, 15 year old comedian Jack Carroll has won himself a legion of celebrity fans and a number of showbiz gigs with his own unique brand of comedy.

After being born 11 weeks early, weighing just 3lb 4oz, Jack suffered brain damage during or soon after his birth, leaving him with cerebral palsy. Diagnosed with spastic diplegia, Jack’s family were told that both of his legs had been affected by the brain damage and it was unlikely that he would ever walk.

Fast forward 15 years and Jack has every reason to smile. The teenager has gone on to win a Pride of Britain Award and landed himself a showbiz mentor in Britains’ Got Talent judge David Walliams, who has been in constant contact with Jack since he was runner up on the talent show. David even went as far as to write an original part for Jack in his BBC comedy series Big School in support for his career.  Read More »

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International Day of People with Disability

By admin | Published: December 5, 2014

Yesterday marked this year’s observance of International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD).

International Day of People with Disability is an international observance, and has been held annually on the 3rd of December since 1992.

The event, now in its 22nd  year, was first launched to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people living with disabilities.

Sanctioned by the United Nations, the event focuses on a new theme every year, with this year’s being ‘Sustainable Development: The Promise of Technology.’ Read More »

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