Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day is relatively new, having been passed by Congress in 2013. But, the disease is not new and probably affects the lives of someone you know. From Children’s Neurobiological Solutions:
March 25th is a day recognized by the United States as National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day. Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological disorder that affects different motor functions resulting in physical disabilities. CP exists on a spectrum, meaning that the severity and depth of disabilities can vary widely amongst those affected.
According to CP Daily Living, a journal and resource provider for parents and caregivers of children with cerebral palsy:
It’s about more than just wearing our team’s ribbon (although ours is green).
It’s about creating understanding among people that we all have differences yet we are all human and sustained by love, compassion, and the acceptance of each other’s personal challenges.
- Here are some facts about cerebral palsy:
- It affects more than 17,000,000 worldwide
- Cerebral palsy is the most common cause of motor disability in children.
- Cerebral palsy is estimated to affect 1 in 303 children in the US
- In 80% of cases the specific cause for the development of cerebral palsy is still unknown
- Cerebral palsy is NOT contagious
- Cerebral palsy does not get worse over time
- Not all people with cerebral palsy use wheelchairs
- CP receives no dedicated line item funding or research at the CDC or NIH
- We don’t understand much more about CP and its prevention and underlying causes than we did a half a century ago
We hope you will take the time to take action on National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day to help these organizations achieve their goals. To everyone living with cerebral palsy and to those caregivers who help them, we support you!