Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term for a group of disorders affecting body movement, balance, and posture. Loosely translated, cerebral palsy means “brain paralysis.” Cerebral palsy is caused by abnormal development or damage in one or more parts of the brain that control muscle tone and motor activity (movement). The resulting impairments first appear early in life, usually in infancy or early childhood. Infants with cerebral palsy are usually slow to reach developmental milestones such as rolling over, sitting, crawling, and walking. Cerebral Palsy patients have difficulty in controlling and coordinating muscles. This makes even very simple movements difficult. There is no cure for cerebral palsy. With early and ongoing treatment, however, the disabilities associated with cerebral palsy can be reduced. Many different therapies are available, most under the supervision of a medical specialist or other allied professional.

IACP recently organized this awareness program across many Indian cities. As part of this program, various cultural activities such as street plays, fancy dress competition, painting competition, song and dance programs and poster display were undertaken both for and by the cerebral palsy kids with the help of their therapists, parents/caregivers and volunteers.

There are an estimated over 25 lakh children and people in India with cerebral palsy. The incidence of cerebral palsy is up to 3 cases per 1000 live births. The disease mainly occurs due to interference in brain development, causes difficulty in movement, speech and sometimes learning of the children. This occurs either in the womb, or during birth, due to accidental damage to the brain or even after two years of birth during which rapid development of the brain takes place. “Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common childhood impairment affecting every three out of 1000 live births in our country. Although 50-60% of children with Cerebral Palsy have normal intelligence and can be educated in normal schools and pursue wide range of careers, this brain disorder is grossly misunderstood resulting in a general apathy towards the sufferers by the society at large. The observation of National Cerebral palsy Day will help us in spreading awareness about this relatively lesser known but highly prevalent disorder,” said Dr. Ashok N. Johari, President IACP.

According to Dr. G Shashikala, General Secretary, IACP, “The disease is becoming a curse for many patients and their families due to poor awareness levels among people, even though several medicinal remedies and advanced treatments are available to cope with this condition. People should be sensitive towards the sufferers of Cerebral Palsy. Keeping this in mind we are making every possible effort to create more and more awareness in the society for early detection and timely care ensures that the patients can lead a near normal life.”

A recent study has found that in 10 to 20 percent of patients, cerebral palsy is acquired after birth, mainly because of brain lesions caused by bacterial meningitis, viral encephalitis, accident or physical assault. Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common type, occurring in 70 to 80 percent of all cases. In some cases it affects one side of the body due to brain pathology in opposite side. In few spastic cases, all four limbs are affected equally. The disability can also affect one’s skills such as writing, typing, using scissors as well as balancing the body while walking or standing. Some cannot even hold objects, eat or drink without help and may have fits.