Cerebral Palsy Information | Cerebral Palsy Facts and Myths

Cerebral Palsy Facts and Myths

While most people are well aware that cerebral palsy causes some significant challenges for the people who suffer with it, there are quite a few myths out there that have been perpetuated about this condition that are completely untrue. Understanding what information that you have heard about cerebral palsy that may be bad can help you understand this disorder to a much better degree.

Cerebral Palsy is a Disease

This is a myth. Cerebral palsy is not a disease. Cerebral palsy, in fact, is not even a single condition. There are several different types of cerebral palsy and they all have their own distinctive characteristics. Cerebral palsy is the result of a specific type of brain injury. This brain injury affects the area of the brain that is responsible for control the muscles. This is where the characteristic symptoms of cerebral palsy manifest. Most of them stem from uneven muscle tone and an inability to perform tasks that require fine motor skill.

Cerebral Palsy Always Means Cognitive Disabilities

Some people with cerebral palsy do suffer from severe cognitive impairments. Other people have the same mental development as does anyone else. It depends upon how they are affected by the injury and what parts of the brain are actually damaged. There is no way to really know how much a child has been effected in this regard until they are old enough that doctors and educators can measure their progress objectively. Some people with cerebral palsy end up getting college degrees and working in very advanced fields. Others will need special education and will not be able to achieve the full cognitive development of an adult during their lifetimes.

Cerebral Palsy is Curable

The treatment of cerebral palsy cannot actually get rid of the injury. Brain injuries never heal, no matter what type of treatments are undertaken. The treatment of cerebral palsy concentrate on lessening the severity of symptoms for the person affected with the disorder. In some cases, these treatments can result in significant progress. Particularly in individuals who are only prevented from living independently because of their physical disabilities, these treatments can open up a whole new world of potential for them. Some individuals only need assistance dealing with challenges such as walking and performing fine tasks. If these treatments can provide ways for them to develop the ability to handle those tasks on their own, they may be able to go ahead and live on their own full-time.