The Winter Paralympics is a great opportunity to learn about the many adaptive recreational and competitive sports for individuals with cerebral palsy.
The Cerebral Palsy Foundation has created a checklist to help guide you in living the healthiest life possible. This checklist has been created for adults with cerebral palsy to provide basic guidance surrounding routine and additional screenings that should occur as part of your primary and preventive care.
![Photo of 4 men: From left to right - Black man, smiling wearing a black turleneck and camo pants seated in a wheelchair next to a white man leaning over smiling with dark hair wearing camo, next to an asian man with dark hair standing, smiling in black turtleneck, next to a white man seated wearing a black turtleneck and camo pants seated in a wheelchair.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2022-02/3.png?h=ea13d641&itok=NhXJgr_T)
Individuals with disabilities have opportunities to work, receive employment training and coaching, benefits counseling and save money without losing means tested benefits. This podcast discusses these options.
![Sarah Storck on left with long blond hair wearing glasses and a brown shirt, David Stoner on right with dark hair in a wheelchair wearing a blue shirt](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-10/CPresource%20Listing%20Images.jpeg?h=f575c11c&itok=UqYjPYbt)
Students with disabilities often need extra support throughout the day to access their environment, the academic materials, and learn alongside their peers. A Personal Care Attendant in the school setting is often utilized to support the students needs.
![Graphic of a teacher in front of a chalk board with a child in a wheelchair observing](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-08/Personal%20Care%20Attendant%3A%20TA%20for%20the%20School.jpg?h=fa288499&itok=-OEyKmPL)
Children and teens with cerebral palsy and other disabilities may need the assistance of an individual who has a background in healthcare and the skills to provide the services essential to quality care.
![Photo of two young men in blue shirts sitting next to each other outdoors, one is in a wheelchair wearing a Mardi Gras mask and waving.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-07/PCA%20Illo.jpg?h=d0470b75&itok=W0cRb9Hc)
An employment agreement spells out the rules, rights and responsibilities for both the Personal Care Attendant (the employee) and the individual with cerebral palsy or family who is hiring the Personal Care Attendant.
![Photo of hands shaking.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-07/IMG_1080.jpeg?h=d318f057&itok=s5vTHWyT)
Wouldn’t it be great if inclusive, accessible playgrounds were in every community for all to enjoy? Although progress is being made in certain areas, there is a lot more work to be done to literally level the playing field and help communities and designers understand what makes an inclusive accessible playground and why they are important for people of all abilities.
![Smiling boy in yellow adaptive swing](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-06/adaptive%20playgrounds.jpg?h=4eadde09&itok=3RdqD_UD)
Mental health care should be included at the outset, as part of discussions around physical, occupational, and speech therapies. I’ve seen studies on cerebral palsy’s effect on caregiver mental health — and that is important. Caregivers are part of the cerebral palsy community, too. It’s an interdependent one. There’s not enough about the nuance around how having cerebral palsy affects mental health.”
![Drawing of the profile of a person with a heart in the center of the brain](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-06/mental%20wellness%20v1.jpg?h=a24664d4&itok=Kv7Nx6V8)
We rely on assistive technology for everything from holding utensils better to using a complex communication device. Makers Making Change is helping to create both custom and affordable assistive tech for all abilities and needs.
![Photo of Noam Platt wearing a blue sport coat and tie.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-06/noam.jpg?h=2adfecdf&itok=R5lqHkTW)
LittleWins harnesses the power of community to empower people with disabilities with the tools they need to thrive! From buying, selling, and donating medical equipment and supplies, to obtaining needed information and connecting with others – LittleWins is the one-stop community resource for families, parents, caregivers, in-home nurses, and all people with disabilities.
![Purple Logo Little Wins](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-06/Screen%20Shot%202021-06-04%20at%2010.53.39%20AM.png?h=14498633&itok=ZoQRZhcF)
Frame Running is becoming increasingly popular as a recreational and competitive sport for individuals with cerebral palsy across all GMFCS levels. Tune in to learn more!
![Woman in green shirt and black pants running next to a young boy in an orange shirt in a frame runner](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-05/IMG_4234.jpg?h=a1e1a043&itok=NdNuOwuS)
On this episode, I have the honor of talking with Wendy Pierce, MD, a pediatric physiatrist at Colorado Children's Hospital about physiatry, also known as Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. This fantastic field of medicine can be helpful for individuals with cerebral palsy across with lifespan, but it has a confusing name and sometimes a confusing job description. So we set out to help listeners better understand what a physiatrist does.
![Photo of Wendy Pierce wearing a dark tan sweater on a light tan background](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-04/Screen%20Shot%202021-04-19%20at%2010.22.26%20AM.png?h=354054f4&itok=AI6_8gox)
On this episode I talk with two of the world’s leading researchers… Dr. Madison Paton and Dr. Iona Novak on stem cell treatment for cerebral palsy. Stem Cells have been a hot topic in Cerebral Palsy for at least 15 years now, with many parents and researchers hoping that at the least, stem cells will lessen the impact of CP and at most hold the key to a cure. Dr. Paton and Dr. Novak will share their insider knowledge into this subject and help us sort through the hype and so we can hold onto our hope.
![Photo of Madison Paton wearing a yellow sweater and Iona Novak wearing a black shirt on a grey background](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-04/Feb%20Headshot%20Cropped%202020%20PATON%20copy.jpg?h=f060bebc&itok=7ee1XZiO)
On this episode with Dr. Amy Bailes, we discuss the Gross Motor Functional Classification System (the GMFCS), the Gross Motor Functional Measure (the GMFM), and the corresponding motor curves. The GMFCS is an important classification system that is relatively easy to understand and it helps create a shared language and framework for understanding a person with CP’s physical function. This can be very helpful for patients, families and providers of all sorts, especially as it relates to both and acceptance and understanding of the diagnosis and family-centered shared decision making.
![Photo of Amy Bailes in a black shirt on a black background](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-04/DA200841%20resized.jpg?h=be94a382&itok=i78LDOC0)
In this episode, Mary Gannotti, PhD, PT, discusses fitness, health and function across the lifespan for individuals with cerebral palsy.
![Photo of Mary Ganotti in a red shirt with a black sport coat on a grey background](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-04/Screen%20Shot%202020-03-23%20at%2010.39.07%20AM.png?h=0a42a262&itok=boqSujDH)
In this first episode, listeners will meet the host, Jen, learn about her background, her son, Bower, and the reason for creating this podcast. Enjoy!
![Photo of Jen Lyman in a green wig and and a mardi gras mask](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-04/51563412_10156910399508704_4430144687197650944_n_10156910399503704.jpg?h=93fa4828&itok=mw4vFltj)
I suppose there has to be one silver lining that comes out of being sheltered in place for months on end (due to Covid-19): I’ve finally been catching up on sleep. The recommended nightly hours of sleep is between 7 and 9 hours . For me, getting a good night’s sleep has been the best way to regain a sense of control and ease during such unnerving times. Not only does sleep improve mood and
![Text: How to Get Quality Sleep with CP and/or Chronic Pain, black and white photo of a woman in a wheelchair looking out a window.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2020-09/SleepandPain%20.jpg?h=7ef20311&itok=6cPpFgli)
As an undergraduate student in a major metropolitan city like NYC, the thought of finding a place to live after graduation was very daunting. I didn’t have many options for accessible dorms on campus, so I could only wonder how much more difficult it’d be to find a “real-life adult” apartment that I could afford as a 20-something-year-old. My apartment search began one year earlier than
![Words "My Journey of Finding Accessible Apartments" with a picture of an apartment building with a magnifying glass over it.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2020-08/Accessible%20Apartments_SarahsBlog.jpg?h=b515aba9&itok=trkJPoAy)
The historic Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush — marking this month its 30th anniversary. The ADA was the country’s first-ever comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities, offering protection against discrimination and imposing accessibility requirements in workplaces and the public. The passage of this law was
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As cities and states across the countries are lifting the COVID-19 lockdown orders, people are returning to work at their offices. However, since the virus is still very much going around, employers must be vigilant about keeping their workplaces as safe as possible. Although we might be seeing a sense of “normalcy,” there’s still a long way to go before reaching the pre-pandemic normalcy—if we
![Sarah Kim sitting at a desk doing work. Text is article title Will the “Post-Pandemic” Workplace Be More Inclusive of Employees with Disabilities?](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2020-07/CPResource_ListingImage%20%281%29.jpg?h=e6d69149&itok=7Qr4RNGU)
This podcast is a place for conversations with experts about issues related to cerebral palsy that affect health, fitness, function and participation. We will cover a range of topics including: treatments and therapies, nutrition, neuroplasticity, genetics, exercise and fitness, adaptive sports, accessibility, and new trends.
![Photo of Jennifer Lyman and her son with the copy Cerebral Palsy Health by Jennifer Lyman across to the top of the image](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2020-07/episode-1-KQ8uIrgoxeZ-VDh0pQr5J2H.300x300.jpg?h=6c83441f&itok=_Scj1p5L)
A year ago, I wrote in my Forbes column about the decades-long pattern of Pride Month celebrations excluding people with disabilities. The underlying reason why Pride events were (and still are) mostly inaccessible for people with disabilities, both in terms of physical spaces and social acceptance, is that mainstream media and public don’t see them having identities outside of their disabilities.
!["People with Disabilities Also Have Diverse Sexualities and Gender Identities" is written in text above a representation of different people, some using wheelchairs, some using crutches, some standing without assistance. The representations of people are all in different colors reminiscent of the pride flag](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2020-06/Screen%20Shot%202020-06-30%20at%205.24.18%20PM.png?h=b64777d1&itok=I9mojRHF)
On International Women’s Day, We Celebrate These Trailblazing Women with CP
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As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to sweep through the country, there are increasing orders from local governments for residents to stay at home, unless they’re essential workers. Both professionals and students are relying on Zoom and other video conferencing software to work or learn from the comforts of their home, although such measures, in most cases, were not permitted before the pandemic.
!["Learning from Disability Accommodations for COVID-19" written in text next to an image of writer, Sarah Kim](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2020-06/DisabilityAccomodationsLearning.jpg?h=8a7fc05e&itok=p4rkH_WI)
It would be an understatement to say that the last few weeks have been unprecedentedly difficult. Some of you might feel hopeless, some fearful, and some defeated. However, it’s times like this that we must muster up our strength and forge forward.
!["Why It’s So Important For People With Disabilities To Vote" in text above an illustration of a ballot box](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2020-06/Sarah%20Kim%20-%20Why%20It%E2%80%99s%20So%20Important%20For%20People%20With%20Disabilities%20To%20Vote_SQ.jpg?h=8a7fc05e&itok=9AZq2MSg)