Caring for a Child with Cerebral Palsy

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Caring for a Child with Cerebral Palsy
8 Dec
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Caring for a Child with Cerebral Palsy

As anyone here at Deliver the Dream, a charity that supports children and their families facing a serious illness, crisis or disability, can tell you, cerebral palsy doesn’t just affect the child who has been diagnosed. It impacts the whole family. That’s where Deliver the Dream comes in. Other kids’ charities may invest in medical research or subsidize medical treatments, our programs strive to help families by restoring hope, strengthening relationships and changing perspectives to provide inspiration for the future.  

“Taking care of a child with cerebral palsy can feel overwhelming at times. Not only do kids with CP need a lot of attention at home, they also need to go to many medical appointments and therapies,” the experts at KidsHealth, a nonprofit found by Neil Izenberg, MD, a physician at Nemours, to help parents, kids, and teens take charge of their health. “Don’t be afraid to say yes when someone asks, “Can I help?” Your family and friends really do want to be there for you.”

What Is Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) isn’t actually a single affliction. It’s a group of disorders, all of which affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. What they all have in common is that links them is that a person’s ability to control his or her muscles has been affected by either abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain. 

As the name implies (cerebral means the brain is involved; palsy indicates muscle difficulties) children with CP may have a hard time moving in a coordinated and purposeful way. “It also can affect other body functions that involve motor skills and muscles, like breathing, bladder and bowel control, eating, and talking.is a problem that affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills,” KidsHealth explains. 

When a child has been diagnosed with CP, families are facing the need to provide a lifetime of care. CP does not get worse over time, but the stress involved in caring for a child with CP can have cumulative impacts. Here at Deliver the Dream, we believe that the best charity for children is a charity that supports the child and the family as well.

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