Almost 800,000 Americans have some form of cerebral palsy. The two most common forms are ataxic cerebral palsy and spastic cerebral palsy, and the effects of this disorder run the gambit from mild to severe. One CP child may be mentally impaired, while another will have full mental functioning, but suffer from musculoskeletal impairment. Some kids have frequent, serious seizures, while others may just have mild trembling or moments of confusion. Organizations like the United Cerebral Palsy Association (UCP) exist because adjusting to life caring for a person with special needs can be challenging.

In the late forties, Leonard Goldenson, who was then president of United Paramount Theaters, and his wife Isabelle, collaborated with Jack and Ethel Hausman to locate people interested in helping them expand the network of support services available for their disabled children. They placed an ad in the New York Times to call together others who were interested in helping expand the services offered to kids with cerebral palsy. Very quickly they expanded, with the help of partnerships and generous donors; opening offices all around the United States. Today, United Cerebral Palsy is one of the largest charities geared towards health in America.

Scooters, wheelchairs and hand controls can increase the mobility and improve the quality of activities of daily living for the child with cerebral palsy. Exercise machines and easels can also improve the quality of life for these children; allowing them to explore their interests in a more meaningful way. There are products and services available to assist caregivers as well. Whether it’s grab bars near the toilet, an automatic lift for the bathtub or computer software that aids in communication, technology is changing the way parents and their afflicted children interact in wonderful ways.

UCP also has a research foundation that seeks new treatment options and preventative methods. For more than fifty years, the foundation has looked at how German measles and maternal-child blood type incompatibility (Rh factor) have contributed to the cause of this disability. Currently, there is research going on regarding the role that low birth weight, premature birth and maternal infections affect the brain of a fetus. Through scientific research, they hope to discover ways to replace brain cells that have been lost in fetuses and allow for a more normal development through early treatment.

You can join the United Cerebral Palsy Association, even if you don’t have a child who has cerebral palsy. If you want to donate your time and energy to help with their charitable work, they are more than happy to have you on board. This can be a great way to help others in your community. UCP provides parents with much cerebral palsy information, with the opportunity to learn about new technological devices that will be useful in the care of their children. Many times, these new technologically advanced pieces of equipment can assist disabled people with walking, talking or expressing themselves.

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