How to Cope With Mixed Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a disorder caused by damage to the brain either prior to or during birth. There are three main types: Ataxic, which affects balance and muscle coordination; athetoid, which is characterized by involuntary muscle movements, and spastic, in which increased muscle tone makes movement difficult. Sometimes a child will have a combination of two, or even all three types. This is called mixed cerebral palsy. The child can have special difficulties due to the combination of symptoms. However, parents can develop coping strategies to help them deal with the needs of a child with mixed cerebral palsy.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Information about cerebral palsy
• Information about the laws governing the education of disabled children
• A support network

1. Learning that your child has a disability is devastating to parents. They often feel shock, anger, sadness, disbelief, denial, or grief. This is a normal, natural reaction. You will need to work through your own feelings in order to be able to devote your energies into meeting your child’s special needs.

2. Learn all you can about cerebral palsy and how it affects your child. There is a wealth of information on the Internet. Your local public library should also have books about cerebral palsy and how to cope with it. The more information you have, the better position you will be in to help your child.

3. Get in touch with parents who have children with cerebral palsy. There are many organizations dedicated to helping children with CP, as well as their parents. You may also be able to find a support group in your area. Learning how other parents cope with raising a child with cerebral palsy can be helpful in dealing with your own special needs child.

4. Navigating the educational system can be difficult when you have a child with cerebral palsy. You need to be in regular contact with teachers and administrators at your child’s school to make sure she is receiving the best possible education while having her special needs met. There are federal laws requiring school systems to make provisions for the education of disabled children. Make sure your local school system is complying with the laws in regards to your child. You also need to work with health care providers to make sure your child is getting the best treatment to meet her individual needs. Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions of both educators and health care workers.

5. Caring for a child with cerebral palsy can be both physically and emotionally draining. Educate your family and friends about your child’s disability and needs. Ask them to care for your child on occasion, so you can take a break now and then. Occasionally, spending some time away from your child can help you recharge your batteries so that you can be a better caregiver and advocate.

6. Teach your child to do as many things for herself as possible. This will not only help prepare your child for adulthood, but also will help her self-esteem. Having the child be more independent can be good for your mental health, as well, because you spend less time and energy performing certain tasks for your child.

Tips & Warnings

• Having a child with mixed cerebral palsy has special challenges. Often mixed CP will not become apparent until the child is a bit older, which can create difficulties as new symptoms manifest. Making sure you have a support system of family and friends who can help you care for your child will help take some of the strain off of you, ultimately making you a better caregiver for your child.

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