Breaking down barriers for people with cerebral palsy
Breaking down barriers for people with cerebral palsy and a short introduction to cerebral palsy and Stasism
Cerebral palsy affects people worldwide and is a lifelong condition that can surface in the early years of a child’s life.
This condition might come to limit your child’s activities and way of living, and there are a series of barriers in the day to day life that require perseverance and patience. However, a lot of children diagnosed with cerebral palsy go on to lead healthy independent lives.
What is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder caused by a non-progressive brain damage that occurs while the child’s brain is still under development.
It affects mostly movements, the way a person coordinates their moves and it hinders their body’s ability to move in a coordinated way. Sometimes, it can also affect other body functions such as eating, talking or breathing.
There are several types of cerebral palsy.
- Spastic cerebral palsy – which causes movement difficulties
- Dyskinetic cerebral palsy – which causes uncontrolled movements
- Ataxic cerebral palsy – which causes a problem with balance and depth perception
One of the most common treatments for CP is physical therapy. If performed daily, this can significantly improve the wellbeing of the child or young adult.
How does cerebral palsy manifest?
The child’s ability to move and respond to different stimuli from early childhood can trigger certain warnings for cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy affects body movements, muscles coordination and control, muscle tone, posture and balance.
Besides the physical challenges, there might be other collateral effects that the child can feel, such as the inability to eat, talk, hear or perceive space, amongst others. Cerebral palsy doesn’t have the same manifestations and it depends on each person how it manifests. No two children experience the same effects.
Day to day challenges
Children diagnosed with cerebral palsy might need assistance at home, depending on their needs. Children usually benefit from a support system at school and in their early childhood, however after this, in some countries, their parents and carers are left with no support to handle the daily needs of a young adult with cerebral palsy.
In more advanced cases, help is very much needed at home, paired with a consistent therapy schedule. Sometimes, people with cerebral palsy might feel overwhelmed or might feel unmotivated to do their required physical exercises. But there are a number of solutions out there that can help your child feel better, feel joyful and still accomplish their daily goals.
Breaking down barriers with technology
We do want equal opportunities for children worldwide to experience joy, play and the chance to create beautiful memories together with their friends and family, in their own home. There are certain elements that might feel like obstacles in the daily development of a child with cerebral palsy, however, these barriers can be broken down.
A lot of people with cerebral palsy greatly benefit from a good support from family and friends and that’s a central element of their growth. Knowing that they can now do something together such as playing games, and having a laugh together can be so comforting. It can boost motivation by integrating the physical exercise element into play so that it won’t even feel like exercising at all.
Technology and gaming experiences have now evolved so much that they can cater to every person’s mobility skills and with the help of AI, it creates meaningful personalized experiences. Stasism comes in handy for kids and young adults with cp, as it that can be used from home. If you want to find out more, and be the first to hear when we launch, sign up below or feel free to connect with us on our channels.