How to Take Care of an Infant With Cerebral Palsy

An infant with cerebral palsy requires the same care as any other infant. Treatment for CP can often improve a child's quality of life and capabilities, and this can begin in infancy, once the diagnosis is made.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Baby Toys
• Infant/toddler Toys
• Plush Toys
• Pop-up Toys

1. Speak with your pediatrician about the care your baby needs. Doctors often need to work with a full team of health professionals in order to determine the best and most appropriate therapies.
2. Begin therapy early. Once the diagnosis is made, begin locating and working with the specialists who will be providing treatment for your baby.
3. Learn to do treatment at home. You may be taking your baby to a physical therapist or developmental center, but therapy needs to be done at home as well.
4. Avoid overdoing it. You may be anxious to help your baby, but trying to do too much will be counterproductive. Ask your doctor or physical therapist to set up a therapy schedule for you to do at home.
5. Pay attention to your baby's moods and needs. Just like anyone else, babies have their good and bad days. For example, ease up on days when your baby is very cranky or irritable and therapy is only making the situation worse.
6. Assess if your baby is eating properly. Some children with CP have difficulty eating. If your baby is not eating properly and not gaining weight, you may need to discuss alternate feeding methods with your doctor.
7. Play with your infant. He or she may have special needs, but ordinary play is important too.
8. Hold and snuggle your baby. Having CP doesn't make an infant too fragile to touch. He or she needs love, just like any other baby.
9. Watch for seizures. Many children with CP also have seizure disorders. Notify your doctor immediately if you notice anything that appears to be a seizure.
10. Keep track of milestones. These are important for every parent.
11. Keep up-to-date. Research is continuously coming out with new and improved treatments for CP.
12. Learn about what's available. Do it slowly, so as not to overwhelm yourself with information.

Tips & Warnings

• Contacting professional organizations such as United Cerebral Palsy (see Related Sites) or getting involved with a support group can be very helpful for learning about CP and how to live with it.
• Think about speech and/or occupational therapy as your infant gets closer to his or her first birthday. Children with CP may have trouble with speech, and early intervention may help tremendously.
• Join a support group. Meeting other parents allows you to share information and tips about caring for your children.
• Seek therapy for yourself and your family if you start getting overwhelmed. An experienced family therapist can assist you in coping.
• If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.