Cerebral palsy is a term used to cover a group of lifelong conditions that affect various aspects of someone’s health, including movement, reflexes, posture, balance and coordination.
The normal cause is an injury to the brain, which happened around the time of birth, for example as a result of limited oxygen supply, an infection, or a difficult birth. The symptoms of cerebral palsy usually become noticeable during the first two or three years of a child’s life, and can include delays in reaching developmental milestones, clumsy or uncontrolled movements, and weak limbs. Currently, there no cure for the condition, but thankfully there are places you can turn to in order to find help and treatment for your child. Here are four examples:
Your local council
Under the 1989 Children Act, the local council in your area may be able to provide help if your child has a disability. This could include care at home, financial help, educational assistance, or adaptations to your house. You will need to contact the local social services team and get a needs assessment. After this you can get advice and see what kind of support might be available to you. Some help will be free of charge, but there may be a cost incurred for certain services.
The NHS
When it comes to treatments for the symptoms of cerebral palsy, there are several services offered by the NHS that can help. For example, physiotherapy may enable your child to improve their movement and physical abilities, occupational therapy may assist with problems they have carrying out daily tasks, and speech therapy can help with communication difficulties. There may also be medication that can be prescribed to alleviate certain symptoms, and even surgical options in some cases. Taken together all of these treatments can help children with cerebral palsy to live a more active and independent life.
Birth injury solicitors
If you believe that your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by clinical or medical negligence, a firm of birth injury solicitors may be able to assist you. Cerebral palsy claims can result in you being awarded some level of financial compensation, which you can then put towards medical therapies and treatments, specialist equipment, home adaptations, and any other wider care needs that your son or daughter has due to of their condition. There are solicitors who specialise in birth injury claims and can provide you with advice on whether to proceed with your case.
Charities and support groups
In the UK there are a number of charities that have been set up to assist those living with cerebral palsy and their family members. Organisations such as Scope provide information, advice, and a range of support services for people of all ages, including family services, a free helpline, and employment services. Meanwhile local support groups can also be an invaluable source of comfort and advice, enabling you to talk to others who are in a similar situation to you.
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