Adults & Adolescence

A group of men laugh and embrace one another smiling.
Overview

Explore information from experts and stories from people with CP who have experienced adolescence and adulthood.

The teen years and transitioning to adulthood, brings new considerations for a person with cerebral palsy and their family.  Additionally, as a person with cerebral palsy ages, there are new factors to consider including wear and tear on joints, chronic pain and other health issues that come along with age for people with and without cerebral palsy. There is so much more to learn in this area and we are committed to bringing you the most up to date research in the field.


 

Adolescence and adulthood has amazing opportunities to find your identity, form relationships and find love. Check in here to read about the unique, sometimes challenging and often refreshing experiences of individuals with Cerebral Palsy.

Adults and Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy have a higher incidence of mental health challenges than the general population. In this section, we are highlighting stories written by individuals with Cerebral Palsy about their personal journey with mental health struggles. 

Well-established methods evaluating health constructs may not be applied in the same way for adults with CP, as compared to the general population, due to differences in anatomy and physiology, leading to missed opportunities for interventions, medication modifications, and other prevention goals.

Contributors
Cathryn Gray
University of Michigan Student and Adaptive Track Athlete
Dr. David Frumberg, MD
Assistant Professor of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Yale School of Medicine
Dr. Heakyung Kim, MD
A. David Gurewitsch Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics at the Columbia University Medical Center
Dr. Ted Conway, PhD
Professor & Head Department of Biomedical Engineering Florida Institute of Technology
Edward A. Hurvitz, MD
Professor and Chair, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at the University of Michigan Medical School.
Jennifer Ryan, PhD
Senior Lecturer, School of Physiotherapy and Director of the CP-Life Research Center
Michael Kutcher
Michael Kutcher, Keynote Speaker, Cerebral Palsy and Organ Donation Advocate