Sometimes people have no idea what to say to a person with a disability. They make a simple task of communication into an awkward stream of words. People who have disabilities do not need to be treated differently, or to be reminded that they have a disability.
March 25 is National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day, a government-sanctioned observance that will remind us we’ve come a long way toward understanding cerebral palsy but we still have work to do. I have seen major improvements in treating cerebral palsy in my lifetime — an excellent development.
What were you doing when you were seven years old? Most seven-year-olds are playful and energetic, and enjoy running freely. But cerebral palsy changes a normal perspective into something extraordinary. When I was seven, a brand new world opened up to allow me to have a little…
March is important and exciting for those of us with cerebral palsy because it’s Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. In March, we can educate, volunteer, and get to know others with CP. Green is the color for cerebral palsy awareness, so you should wear green on more than…
Service dogs play an important role for people with cerebral palsy and many other disabilities, because they provide a range of services that are custom tailored to the specific needs of their owners. Most importantly, specialty trainer service dogs offer their owners independence both on a physical and emotional level…
Dating is difficult for everyone at one time or another. Disability or not, finding a date, asking for a date, and actually going out on a date is stressful. What do you do when you have a disability and want to date? Should you just forget about it,…
Last week I wrote a column directed to husbands with wives who have cerebral palsy. This week I want to switch the roles and address wives with husbands who have cerebral palsy. Even though I’m not a man, I have dated men with cerebral palsy and other…
Dear Future Husband of a Wife with cerebral palsy: Let me be the first to congratulate you on choosing your wife. I hope you chose wisely someone you love and with whom you share many of the same hobbies and goals. You fell in love with her for so…
Aging affects everyone differently, but with cerebral palsy aging has a whole different outcome. As a woman with spastic athetoid quadriplegia cerebral palsy, I’m still learning what aging does to my body. Studies to better understand aging, the body and cerebral palsy are increasing. With more information…
Having cerebral palsy and good oral health can be difficult to achieve. The physical act of brushing teeth is far from easy when you have trouble keeping your mouth open, staying still, fighting the gag reflex, biting and tongue thrusts. Unfortunately, many with cerebral palsy often forego the…