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  Physical Disability

Core information

What causes physical disability?

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy refers to damage to areas in the brain which control movement (motor areas), "short circuiting" messages from the brain to different parts of the body. This results in difficulty in controlling different muscles. A person with Cerebral Palsy may experience weak and stiff muscles or uncontrolled movements.

The type of physical disability will depend on the area of the brain damaged.

Spastic Cerebral Palsy

movements appear stiff because the muscles are contracted and tense, although weak. "Spasticity" describes the tone of muscles or how tight they are.

Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

movements are constant and unintentional, often jerky. Coordination is also affected.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

results in problems with balance and coordinating movement (for example, walking gait is unsteady).

Possible associated disabilities:

• speech
• sight
• hearing
• intellect
• epilepsy

Cerebral Palsy occurs before or during birth, or in early childhood as a result of an accident or illness, such as:

• pre-natal rubella infection
• anoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain)
• premature birth
• childhood diseases (for example, meningitis)
• car accident 

However, in many cases the cause is unknown. Cerebral Palsy can occur in any family and is not contagious.

Remember, no two people with Cerebral Palsy are alike in their physical disability. While one person with Cerebral Palsy may use a wheelchair and have slurred speech, another may just have a little difficulty walking.

If a person with Cerebral Palsy talks slowly, slurring their words, it does not mean that they can't understand you or don't know what to say. It simply means that there has been damage to the part of the person's brain which controls the person's speech and mouth muscles, not their ability to understand.

Cerebral Palsy cannot be cured but it does not get progressively worse. However, the effects on the person can often change as the person grows older. 

I M P L I C AT I O N S  F O R  D A I LY  L I V I N G

For many people with Cerebral Palsy, disability is a reality. The potential impact of damage to the brain includes:

• limited mobility and the use of aids such as callipers, braces or walking aids

• difficulty with everyday activities such as standing, walking, sitting, eating and drinking

• absent or slurred speech

• use of communication aids such as boards, signing or technological aids

• difficulty for some in reading and writing because of perceptual problems

• co-ordination difficulties

Imaginative technological aids have been devised to assist people with cerebral palsy to live more independent lives. Aids can simplify the basic tasks of everyday living such as eating, grooming and dressing.

W A Y S  O F  A S S I S T I N G

To assist people with Cerebral Palsy:

• look, listen, understand and treat the person as you would like to be treated

• conversation should always be directed at the person, not at any companion who may be with them

• take care serving hot drinks or food and provide necessary straws or eating utensils

• do not separate the person from their special aids or equipment

• be aware of the environment and the difficulties it may present

• find ways of communicating with the person. Maintain eye contact, sit down if appropriate.

• be willing to communicate in different ways if necessary, such as using a communication board or other verbal and non-verbal cues

• be patient when talking to someone with a communication difficulty. Resist the temptation to interrupt or to answer on their behalf. At first the person's speech may be difficult to understand. After a while it usually becomes easier to follow.

• do not talk about the person to another person in their presence

• learn how to use or assist in the use of communication and daily living aids