Cerebral palsy can affect most parts of daily life, including movement, communication, eating, personal care, education, sleep and independence. However, cerebral palsy presents differently in every person. Some children need relatively limited additional support, while people with severe cerebral palsy may need help with most aspects of everyday life.

Here, our solicitors with expertise in cerebral palsy claims  explain how cerebral palsy can affect a child's daily life and the types of support that may be needed. We also look at how a medical negligence claim may help meet additional care, therapy, equipment, accommodation and other long-term needs where negligent care caused or contributed to their condition.

How can cerebral palsy affect everyday life?

Cerebral palsy primarily affects movement and muscle control, but its impact can extend into many areas of everyday life. How much support a person needs will depend on the parts of the body affected and any additional difficulties they experience.

Not all children with cerebral palsy experience all of these challenges. The right support should always reflect the individual child's abilities and goals.

How does cerebral palsy affect movement and mobility?

Cerebral palsy can affect movement because the developing brain has been damaged or has developed abnormally in areas involved in controlling the muscles. This can affect muscle tone, balance, posture and motor planning.

For some children, movement difficulties are relatively mild. They may be able to walk independently but find running, balancing or climbing stairs more difficult. Other children have little or no control over particular movements and may require a wheelchair or other mobility aid.

Cerebral palsy can cause:

• Muscle stiffness or tightness
• Muscle spasms
• Weakness in particular parts of the body
• Shaky movements
• Uncontrolled or unpredictable movements
• Difficulty controlling posture and body position
• Problems with gross motor coordination, such as sitting, standing and walking
• Reduced neck control in some children
• Difficulty changing body position without assistance

Fine motor skills can also be affected. This can make everyday tasks such as holding cutlery, handwriting, using buttons or tying shoelaces challenging.

A child with a severe form of cerebral palsy, such as spastic quadriplegia, will experience significant physical disability affecting all four limbs and need substantial support with movement and positioning.

Physiotherapy and suitable assistive equipment can help some people maintain their physical functioning and independence. Read JMW's guide to cerebral palsy treatment options for more information.

Can cerebral palsy cause pain and other physical health problems?

People with cerebral palsy can experience pain and other physical problems because of the way the condition affects their muscles, joints, posture and movement.

Musculoskeletal pain develops where muscles and joints are placed under additional strain. Some people experience chronic pain, while others have episodes of more severe pain linked to muscle spasms, joint problems or particular movements.

Hip abnormalities and changes affecting other joints can also cause discomfort and affect mobility. People who have very limited movement may need careful positioning and support to reduce pressure on particular areas of the body and the risk of damage to their skin and underlying tissue.

Cerebral palsy can also affect eating and digestion. Some children may have difficulty eating, chewing or swallowing food because they have reduced control over the muscles involved. Gastro-oesophageal reflux can also affect some people.

Bladder and bowel control may also be affected. A person may experience continence difficulties or need additional support when using the toilet.

Pain, muscle spasms and difficulty changing position can also disturb sleep. A child's doctor, paediatrician and other members of their care team can assess these difficulties and recommend an appropriate treatment plan.

How does cerebral palsy affect speech and communication?

Cerebral palsy can affect speech when a person has difficulty controlling the muscles involved in breathing, producing sounds and moving the mouth and tongue. However, having difficulty speaking does not necessarily mean that a person has difficulty understanding what other people say.

Some children can speak but need more time to form words or make themselves understood. Others may be unable to produce speech reliably and communicate in different ways. This could include:

• Facial expressions and gestures
• Signs and symbols
• Picture boards
• Communication books
• Tablets and voice-output devices
• Eye-gaze technology and other assistive devices

Speech and language therapy can help identify the best ways to support speech and communication. Speech and language therapists may also help children who have swallowing or eating difficulties.

Communication difficulties can sometimes make strong emotional responses harder for other people to interpret. Parents, teachers and carers should give the child enough time to communicate and speak directly to them rather than assuming another person needs to answer on their behalf.

JMW's guide to assistive technology for children with cerebral palsy explains how different technologies can support communication and independence.

How can cerebral palsy affect vision and hearing?

Some people with cerebral palsy experience vision or hearing impairment. These difficulties can have a practical effect on communication, mobility, education and the ability to take part independently in everyday activities.

Cerebral visual impairment happens when the brain has difficulty processing visual information, rather than there necessarily being a problem with the eyes themselves. The impact can vary considerably. Some children may find busy environments difficult to interpret, struggle to locate objects or have difficulty recognising what they are looking at.

More severe visual impairment or gaze dysfunction can affect a child's ability to direct or maintain their gaze. This may also influence which communication aids work best for them.

Hearing impairment can make communication and learning more difficult, particularly where a child also has problems producing speech.

Specialist assessments can establish how vision or hearing difficulties affect an individual child and what additional support or equipment may be useful.

Can cerebral palsy affect learning and development?

Cerebral palsy does not automatically mean that a child has an intellectual disability. Some children with cerebral palsy have typical cognitive abilities but find it harder to demonstrate what they know because of physical, speech or communication difficulties.

In some children motor planning difficulties can affect how they learn and how they carry out a sequence of physical movements. Some children may therefore require more time, practice or support in certain tasks.

A child's development may be assessed through developmental screening and more detailed specialist assessments. This helps doctors, therapists and teachers understand the child's strengths and identify areas where early intervention or additional support may be useful.

It is important that teachers and other adults do not judge a child's understanding from their physical disability or ability to speak.

How can cerebral palsy affect school and social life?

School plays an important part of a child's social life. Children with cerebral palsy should have meaningful opportunities to spend time with their peer group, build friendships and take part alongside other children.

Depending on the child’s ability, a child may need assistance moving around the school, specialist seating or assistive equipment to help them take part in activities. School staff will need to understand how the child communicates and they may need specialist equipment, to ensure the child is able to answer questions and show their academic ability.

Fatigue and pain may affect concentration or how long a child can comfortably remain in one position, so the lesson or school day may need to be adapted for them to ensure they are getting the best out of their lessons.

Some children attend mainstream schools with additional support, while others benefit from specialist education. The appropriate setting depends on a setting that can meet the child's individual needs rather than their diagnosis alone.

Read JMW's guide to education, EHCPs and specialist schooling for children with cerebral palsy for more information about the support schools can provide.

How does cerebral palsy affect independence and family life?

Cerebral palsy can affect independence where a child needs help completing everyday tasks. The amount of assistance required can range from occasional practical support to full-time care.

A person may need help with:

• Washing and dressing
• Eating and drinking
• Using the toilet
• Getting in and out of bed
• Changing body position
• Moving around the home
• Going to school or attending appointments
• Using communication equipment
• Taking part in hobbies and family activities

Occupational therapy can help identify practical ways to make daily life more accessible. An occupational therapist may recommend adapted utensils, specialist seating, mobility equipment or changes to the home.

Assistive equipment may also allow a child to do more independently. This could include a powered wheelchair, communication technology or environmental controls that operate doors, lights or other equipment.

The child's needs can change significantly as they grow. Parents who can physically lift a young child may no longer be able to do so safely when their child is older, and mobility equipment and accommodation may also need to change.

JMW's guide to accommodation for children with cerebral palsy looks in more detail at how the home environment can affect safety and independence.

Can cerebral palsy affect psychological wellbeing?

Living with cerebral palsy can affect psychological wellbeing, although not everyone with the condition will experience a psychological injury or mental health condition.

Chronic pain, reduced independence, communication barriers and difficulty taking part in activities can place additional pressure on some children and adults. Experiences such as exclusion, bullying or repeatedly being misunderstood can also have an impact.

Some people with cerebral palsy experience anxiety disorders or depression. The NHS notes that the daily challenges associated with cerebral palsy can contribute to depression in some people.

Parents should speak to their child's GP or care team if they have concerns about their psychological wellbeing. Support should reflect the individual person's experiences and needs.

Does cerebral palsy change as a person gets older?

Cerebral palsy is not a progressive condition, which means the original problem affecting the brain does not continue to worsen. However, its impact on the body can change as a person gets older.

Repeated strain on muscles and joints can contribute to musculoskeletal pain. Mobility may also change because of fatigue, stiffness, joint problems or reduced physical functioning.

Equipment that worked well in childhood may no longer be suitable in adulthood. Care, accommodation and transport needs can also change.

These changes mean that long-term support should not be based only on how a child's cerebral palsy presents at one particular age. Planning should consider how their needs may develop over many years.

Read more in JMW's guide to whether cerebral palsy is progressive.

What support can help with daily life?

The right support can help a person with cerebral palsy take part in everyday life as safely and independently as possible.

Depending on their needs, this may include:

• Physiotherapy to support movement, posture and physical ability
• Occupational therapy to address daily tasks and independence
• Speech and language therapy to support speech, communication, eating or swallowing
• Mobility aids such as wheelchairs or walking equipment
• Communication aids and assistive technology
• Specialist seating and positioning equipment
• Support at nursery, school, college or university
• Adaptations to the home
• Professional care and assistance

Not all children require every form of support. A treatment plan should be based on the individual person's needs and developed with their doctor, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist and other relevant specialists.

The NHS guidance on cerebral palsy provides more information about treatment and support.

Could medical negligence have caused or contributed to cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is not always caused by medical negligence. However, a claim may be possible where negligent care during pregnancy, labour, delivery or shortly after birth caused or materially contributed to a baby's brain injury.

Medical negligence may be relevant where a doctor, midwife, obstetrician or nurse failed to identify or respond appropriately to a serious risk.

Examples may include a failure to:

• Monitor the baby's heart rate appropriately
• Recognise and respond to signs of fetal distress
• Escalate concerns to an obstetrician
• Arrange an assisted delivery or urgent caesarean section when required
• Recognise or respond appropriately to breathing difficulties after birth
• Monitor or treat dangerously low blood sugar
• Recognise and treat severe newborn jaundice before it causes kernicterus

Parents do not need to establish for themselves what caused their child's cerebral palsy before seeking legal advice. Our medical negligence solicitors can review what happened and investigate whether the care provided met a reasonable standard.

How can compensation help with the effects of cerebral palsy?

Where medical negligence caused or contributed to cerebral palsy, compensation can reflect both the injury and the practical support the person is likely to need throughout their life.

There is no standard amount of compensation for cerebral palsy. The assessment should focus on the particular person's condition and the way it affects their everyday life.

Depending on the evidence, compensation may account for:

• Professional care and support
• Care already provided by parents or other family members
• Physiotherapy and occupational therapy
• Speech and language therapy
• Specialist mobility and positioning equipment
• Communication aids and assistive technology
• Adapted accommodation
• Accessible transport
• Education and developmental support
• Future loss of earnings where relevant
• Other additional costs caused by the injury

For people with severe cerebral palsy, future care and support needs can be extensive. Independent experts assess these needs so that the claim reflects how the person is likely to live in practice, rather than relying simply on the diagnostic label.

You can read more about how compensation can support children with cerebral palsy.