The GMFCS can be a helpful tool in clinical and research use and has been shown to be stable and accurate over time. It can also help individuals and families better understand cerebral palsy.
We got the diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy when Lelia was 18 months. I was really happy, as we didn’t know what was wrong with her before then. She had low tone. She couldn’t roll over. She couldn’t sit up. Of course she didn’t walk. The diagnosis gave it a name, something I could work with, and I became a kind of vigilante mother, determined to get the best care for my daughter.
An empowering and evidence-based guide for living a full life with spastic diplegia–bilateral cerebral palsy.
One of the things that was identified through research is that patients with cerebral palsy have higher rates of depression and anxiety than you would see in the general population.
In order to get a good education, children need to access the curriculum. That's at the heart of their education. Some of the key challenges of getting students both their education and access to their voice in the class is simply understanding. Preparation for the student with disabilities is key. We have to foster success. We have to build a sense of success in the beginning. That starts with understanding the abilities of that student.