A diagnosis of cerebral palsy is given when an injury or suspected injury occurred prenatally, during birth, or shortly after birth. It is a group of disorders that that involves the nervous system (e.g., the brain and spinal cord) which controls movement and neurocognitive skills. Cerebral palsy can impact gross and fine motor skills, sensory functioning, learning, hearing, and vision. Severity can range from very mild, with only subtle symptoms (e.g., mild dyscoordination) to severe, where mobility is impacted to the extent of requiring a wheelchair and/or the child presents with mental retardation. Cerebral palsy is non-progressive, meaning that it does not typically get worse.
Although there is no cure for cerebral palsy, treatments such as occupational and physical therapies are very effective at improving motor and other adaptive skills. Speech/language and developmental therapies are typically recommended if language and learning delays are present.