Cerebral Palsy

An A to Z glossary of disabilities

CP is the general term for neurological conditions, caused by the brain and the nervous system, which affects co-ordination and movement.

Cerebral Palsy is caused by abnormal brain developments leading from a difficult or premature birth, changes in the genres which affect brain developments, bleeding from inside the baby’s brain or an infection caught during pregnancy.

In a small percentage of cases people with CP may have communication and learning difficulties although most are only affected with physical difficulties which can include seizures, drooling, walking and speaking.

Statistics show around 1 in 400 people are living with Cerebral Palsy in the UK.

The condition starts from a very early age, in 75% cases when you are just a little sperm wiggling around in your mummy's tummy during pregnancy.

5% during childbirth sometime thanks to careless doctors and the other 15% can screw you up before you reach the age of 5.

CP causes motor disorders which can effect communication, sensation, behavior, perception and spazzy fits medically known as epilepsy which can be fatal.

There's no cure at the moment so people with CP will have to keep their fingers crossed, which if you think about it, shouldn't be too difficult!