Wear something GREEN tomorrow 2nd October 2013
World CP Day is a global innovation project to change the world for people living with cerebral palsy and their families. It is designed to gather ideas from people around the world and make the best of those ideas a reality.
The project is led by a group of non-profit cerebral palsy charities, and supported by organisations in over 30 countries.
There are 17 million people across the world living with cerebral palsy (CP). Another 350 million people are closely connected to a child or adult with CP. It is the most common physical disability in childhood.
CP is a permanent disability that affects movement. Its impact can range from a weakness in one hand, to almost a complete lack of voluntary movement.
It is a complex disability: 1 in 4 children with CP cannot talk, 1 in 3 cannot walk, 1 in 2 have an intellectual disability, 1 in 4 have epilepsy.
CP is a lifelong disability and there is no known cure. Cerebral palsy itself is not progressive; the injury to the brain does not change. However, the effects may change over time for better or worse
There may be no obvious single reason why a child has cerebral palsy. The main causes of cerebral palsy include:
- Infection in the early part of pregnancy
- Lack of oxygen to the brain
- Abnormal brain development
- A genetic link (though this is quite rare)
The following factors can increase the likelihood of cerebral palsy:
- Difficult or premature birth
- Twins or multiple birth
- Mother’s age being below 20 or over 40
- Father under 20 years
- First child or fifth (or more) child
- Baby of low birth weight (less than 2.5 pounds)
- Premature birth (less than 37 weeks)
A combination of the above (such as low birth weight and being a twin) can further increase the probability of cerebral palsy.
Visit http://en.worldcpday.org/ and submit your one minute idea. Please click the link here to find out more.
Here’s some more links to inspire you. Spread the word… be inspiring!
- you have cerebral palsy? So what ! (gothicblade653.wordpress.com)
- Proof that ATOS expect people with incurable conditions like cerebral palsy to “get better” (tompride.wordpress.com)
- World Cerebral Palsy Day 2013 (premmeditations.wordpress.com)
- What should everyone know about cerebral palsy? (scope.org.uk)
- Inspirational Words from Former Paralympian, Fran Williamson (theroyalhospitalschool.wordpress.com)