Cerebral Palsy

Issue # 1 March 2014 Community Life

What is Cerebral Palsy?

This is a disease that causes severe muscle and posture damage and results in a physical disability. It usually occurs before birth and is usually the cause of an insult to the brain. In the early life of a child, signs become more evident, and the effects may become harsher. This disease can leave some the ability to walk, and some may not be so lucky. It can involve a wide range of effects such as some intellectual problems, swallowing and other physical impairments.

Where can we get Help?

The Internet is a great place to find help. If you know someone with CP and want to find a little information about how to help or create a better life for that person, the Internet can be a great source of information. With the help of some of following sites, I think that you will be in good hands and will find exactly what you need to feel more comfortable and informed about Cerebral Palsy. These websites are a good source for the members of our community of all ages to start to be aware of what CP is and what we can do to help those who have it. Together we can do anything.

Link it Up!
I really am excited to share some of these sites with you all because I think that they provide some good and simple explanations of what CP is and what to look for in the future. The first site that is linked on this page is about some useful technology that a family or school can use to help aid a child with CP. http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2013/05/10/10must-have-products-for-individuals-with-cerebral-palsy/. This website is written by a freelance writer and blogger who specializes

Continued on page 2

Issue #: [Date]

Dolor Sit Amet

(Continued)
in the medical field. She can be found on Google and her goal is to research information that is reliable and useful to her readers. Her posts are consistently updated and many people get together and can discuss their own opinions and stories about life with a child with CP. This is a great way to find new ideas and new tips that can help you as a mother or a teacher to care for your loved one. Another site that is a good source of information is http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/15271 2.php. This site is written by Dr. Christian Nordqvist, a plastic surgeon hired by the Medical New Today team to provide his knowledge to their website. He has great information regarding CP and all of the detailed information such as diagnosis, treatments, future goals, symptoms and causes of this disease. His information is greatly influential and the website is voted to be in the top 5,000 global websites reported by Alexa.com. These next three sites I believe are also reliable sources of information. Professional medical experts who are educating and sharing information with the public about Cerebral Palsy write all of the information they provide. These sites are accredited by kidshealth.org, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, and the USA.gov, and they provide you with a detailed definition of Cerebral Palsy, easy to use website that children and adults can use, auditory guidance for those who dont read or cant, and great information about causes, symptoms, and help for those dealing with this disease and their family and friends. http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain /cerebral_palsy.html http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cerebr al_palsy/cerebral_palsy.htm http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/cerebral-palsy/basics/definition/con20030502 If you want to learn about this disease and educate yourself, these are great sites to visit. As a community we can all come together and be aware and educate others about CP and what we can do as a community to make sure that we are not uneducated and ill hearted about those who have it.

Technology
There are many forms of technology that can help aid and better the life of a child with CP. Some of these devices can be to help with physical movement and educational uses. Some forms of physical transportation that can be used are wheelchairs, stool scooters or some type of standing equipment, specialized car seats and bath chairs for the end of the day. Some educational technology that would be helpful to try can be adaptive writing tools such as the, Steady Write Writing Instrument, which helps handwriting skills, and communication devices called Augmentative Alternative Communication. This can include ways to communicate using signs, symbols, letter, shapes, or more.

Issue #: [Date]

Dolor Sit Amet

References
Domeier, A. (2010, 5). 10 must have products for individuals with cerebral palsy. Retrieved from http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2013/05/10/10-musthave-products-for-individuals-with-cerebral-palsy/

Nordqvist, C. (2009, June 05). What is cerebral palsy. Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/152712.php

Nemours. (2014). Cerebral palsy. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/cerebral_palsy.html

Office of Communications and Public Liaison. (2014, march 06). Ninds cerebral palsy information page. Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cerebral_palsy/cerebral_p alsy.htm

Mayo Clinic. (2013, August). Diseases and conditions. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/cerebral-palsy/basics/definition/con-20030502