March is National Cerebral Palsy Month in the United States and is an opportunity to highlight the history of cerebral palsy advocacy - where we’ve been, where we are currently, and the opportunities that are ahead.
People with disabilities represent more than 27% of the United States adult population, making them the single largest minority group in the country. This new NIH designation, new research program and update to NIH mission are actions to ensure inclusion of people with disabilities.
If you or your child have cerebral palsy where the cause is unclear, there are no-cost genetic tests and no-cost genetic counseling that can help answer some of these questions.
The bipartisan, Cerebral Palsy Research Act, is introduced by Congressman Steve Cohen of Tennessee. Read more here:
The 2023 Appropriations Act has passed and thanks to advocacy by the cerebral palsy community, it includes the strongest language and funding yet for cerebral palsy!
Understanding different gait patterns is important because it can determine what interventions will potentially be the most effective.
Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder that affects how clear and understandable a person’s speech is. Between 50-90% of people with CP have dysarthria.
Dr. Bhooma Aravamuthan presents Understanding Dystonia: Diagnosis and Treatment at the 2020 AACPDM Community Forum. Moderated by Council Chair, Jen Lyman.
Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common type of CP. People will experience increased muscle tone and their movements may appear stiff or awkward.
People who have dyskinetic cerebral palsy experience involuntary movements that are difficult to control. These movements can be slow, twisting and writhing, or rapid and jerky, and can impact movement in the hands, arms, feet, legs and even the face or tongue.
Medicaid Waivers, Katie Beckett or TEFRA are all forms of benefits that an "waive" medicaid financial restrictions for parents of children who have a developmental disability acquired prior to the age of three. Kidswaivers.org has provided a comprehensive, interactive website of all available medicaid waiver programs by State across the US.
NCART Standing Device Funding Guide contains all the information needed to choose, measure, and write a letter of medical necessity for a standing device.
This IEP Checklist should provide helpful support when preparing for, setting goals, maintaining communication and achieving student success!
Complex Rehabilitation Technology serves to enhance the lives of individuals who utilize it with the goals of maximizing health, wellbeing, participation and independence.
RESNA (Rehab Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America) is a great place to find highly qualified rehab and assistive technology professionals in your area. They also have provided their research to help providers and the families they serve make decisions about powered mobility for young children.
The Cerebral Palsy Foundation has created a factsheet to help guide you in understanding and treating pain with CP. This fact sheet has been created for individuals with cerebral palsy to provide basic guidance surrounding common causes and potential treatment of pain.
Now you can receive a no-cost genetic test for you or your child sent directly to your home.
Understanding and managing healthcare and the healthcare system can be daunting for all of us. Attitudes of both providers and patients toward healthcare have experienced significant changes over the past few decades, shifting away from a focus on providers addressing problems as they arise, to more of a partnership and a shared decision-making process to maximize function, well-being, and reduce potential morbidities [1].
Drooling is an important problem for many individuals with CP and there are a number of interventions available to treat symptoms. If an individual with CP or their caregiver have concerns about drooling it is important to discuss with a health care provider. Care pathways such as the AACPDM pathway can be a starting point for shared decision making. In all cases, working together as a team is important in choosing the best alternative. Children and adults with CP may have trouble with drooling, or saliva management. In the medical world, drooling is referred to as sialorrhea. Saliva plays an important role in eating but also can interfere with airway clearance and breathing, as well as social participation. When drooling has this kind of impact it becomes important to consider intervention.
A person’s gait is dependent on the interaction between the nervous, musculoskeletal, and cardiorespiratory systems and has many influences.
An international study recently published in the journal Nature Genetics has provided the first firm evidence that for a substantial number of people, their cerebral palsy (CP) may be caused by a genetic mutation, or mis-spelling in the body’s DNA blueprint.
Cerebral Palsy can be described by the way it affects movement and motor function, the part of the body affected and by how severe the impact is.
For some the day-to-day problems faced by children and adults with cerebral palsy, and their carers, are not motor ones alone. It is important that you discuss other areas of your child's development if you have concerns.
There are some medical conditions or events that can happen during pregnancy, delivery, or shortly thereafter that may increase a baby's risk of being born with cerebral palsy.
Diagnosing cerebral palsy (CP) at an early age is important for the long-term outcome of children and their families.
