Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of neurological conditions that affects balance, movement, and muscle tone. The main cause of CP is brain damage to the area of the brain that relates to movement. The damage occurs in a developing fetus or during childbirth. Once a child develops CP, it cannot be cured.

• Seventeen million people around the world live with CP.
• Every hour, one baby in the world is born with CP
• One in 500 babies is diagnosed with CP.
• CP is evident in the first 12-18 months of life.
• Rates of depression are three to four times higher in people with disabilities such as CP.
• CP is the most common childhood disability.

• Multiple births (twins, triplets, etc.)
• Infections during pregnancy, such as toxoplasmosis, rubella, and herpes
• Blood type incompatibility between baby and mother
• Exposure to toxic substances, including methyl mercury
• Mothers who have thyroid abnormalities, excess protein in urine, or seizures
• Complicated labor and delivery