Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month

March is National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. This initiative began in 2006 to try and commence changes in education, healthcare and society generally by raising awareness to ensure that those with this condition have access to an increasing number of opportunities. Despite the challenges those with cerebral palsy face, they are capable of achieving incredible things, thus highlighting the importance of acknowledging their abilities rather than just their disabilities.

Last month, Spanish runner Alex Roca who has cerebral palsy managed to complete the Barcelona Marathon. This marked a moment in history as he became the first person with 76% disability to ever complete the 26.2 mile distance. However, this was not the first time Alex had made history, as in in 2019 he became the first person with cerebral palsy to finish Garmin’s Titan Desert race, a six-day multiple stage mountain bike race through the Moroccan desert between the Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert.

What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that affects muscles, movements and mobility. Those with the condition can have varying symptoms and for some their needs can be profound including being unable to control movement, feed themselves, or see and hear properly.

Cerebral palsy arising from negligence:

The condition can be caused by medical negligence. For instance, errors made during birth can lead to hypoxic injury from lack of oxygen and result in brain damage for the baby. Additionally, it can be caused by undiagnosed issues in pregnancy, such as infection, or failures in treatment after birth during the neonatal period.

Treatment for cerebral palsy:

Despite there currently being no cure for the condition, multiple treatments are available to those with cerebral palsy to try and enable them to be as active and independent as possible.

Treatments include:

• Physiotherapy – techniques such as exercise and stretching to help maintain physical ability and hopefully improve movement problems.
• Speech and Language Therapy – to help with speech and communication, and swallowing difficulties.
• Occupational Therapy – where a therapist identifies problems that you or your child have carrying out everyday tasks, and suggests ways to make these easier.
• Music Therapy – sessions can focus on emotional, social, functional or neuro-rehabilitation goals and can develop confidence, awareness, independence and communication skills.

Further to this, continuous developments in technologies including robotic technology and other innovations have the potential to dramatically change the future for those with the condition.

During the Barcelona Marathon, Alex Roca inspired many by stating that “the limit is up to you, and if you want to achieve an objective, whatever difficulties you have, with attitude, willpower, perseverance and resilience, you can achieve everything you propose.”

With advancing technologies and treatments alongside increasing awareness of cerebral palsy, the landscape for those with the condition continues to look brighter.

If you have any concerns about your child’s development or if you are coming to terms with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, alongside concerns about the medical care which you and your child received, please get in touch with a member of our team at info@lblaw.co.uk.

Support is also offered by Scope which is one of the main UK charities for people with cerebral palsy and their families.