In our last section, we discussed the common Conditions Related to Cerebral Palsy. In this section and in the following section, we have collected some of the best government, national, local, online, and legal resources for children and families affected by Cerebral Palsy.
This information has been compiled from government sources, medical sources, and from consulting with experts on Cerebral Palsy.
Continue reading to learn about Cerebral Palsy support resources.
Overview of Resources for CP
Online and offline, there are many great community resources for children and families who are affected by Cerebral Palsy. With government assistance, non-profits, official and unofficial support groups, there are many ways to get plugged into the Cerebral Palsy community and find the support that you and your family needs.
In the following sections, we’ve included links and brief descriptions of some of the many great community resources that you can get involved with today:
Government Resources
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC) maintains a list of great resources for children and families affected by Cerebral Palsy.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is an extension of the U.S. Department of Education. The IDEA website has great information on how to qualify and obtain funds and support for children with disabilities, including CP.
Medicaid is a government program that provides health insurance coverage for low-income families and is one of the largest health care programs in America.
The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides a “low-cost health coverage” option for families that earn too much money to qualify for medicaid. Because of the costs associated with CP, many families who are above the poverty line still struggle with bearing the burden. CHIP is a program meant to help address that problem.
Supplemental Security Income or SSI is a form of financial aid available to families with people with disabilities.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) offers funds for childcare assistance. This program is designed to help needy families reach self-sufficiency through block grants and state programs.
Social Security Disability Insurance is another program that helps people with disabilities who are insured (which can be a help with long term costs).
Getting help for a child with HIE or Cerebral Palsy
can make a big difference
Because early intervention is often key to helping improve a child’s wellbeing, it’s important to act swiftly. At the Brown Trial Firm, our Houston birth injury attorneys can help you investigate your case, find answers to your questions, and determine whether you are entitled to compensation. We offer case reviews at no cost or obligation. Many birth injuries that cause cerebral palsy could have been prevented.
National Support Organizations
The Cerebral Palsy Foundation is a national organization that spreads awareness and educates on CP. Their network includes hospitals, technologists, innovators, and a strong base of support.
March of Dimes is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping improve the health of mothers and babies. This group lobbies for and supports families who suffer from many varieties of health setbacks, including CP.
Reaching for the Stars has an active Facebook group with over 10,000 members. Their objective is to encourage the advancement of cures and treatments for children with CP.
Local Support Organizations
The Arc is a network of local chapters that help support families with intellectual and developmental impairments.
Parent to Parent USA partners experienced people with inexperienced parents of children with disabilities so help develop a mentoring system of support.
United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) helps parents and families on a local level lobbying for equal access and accommodations in schools and local government.
Online Support Groups
Special Needs Moms for Moms is a fantastic online resource for mothers (and fathers!) to find other families facing similar challenges.
Mommies of Miracles is one of the largest online networks of mothers with children that have developmental impairments. Their network has many helpful resources as well as grief support and plenty of opportunities to get involved in a community.
Legal Support Resources
No parent or family member is ever fully prepared for receiving the bad news about a birth injury. The positive emotions of joy and excitement to welcome a little one into the world can be overwhelmed by feelings of sadness, shock, anger, and confusion.
These emotions are normal, and part of coping with a birth injury. Often, parents also have questions–how did this happen, why did this happen, was it preventable?
If you have questions, or if you suspect that your child’s birth injury may have been caused by poor medical care, you should consider speaking with a birth injury attorney. A birth injury attorney focuses on injuries that occur at or near the time of birth, like Cerebral Palsy, and can help you figure out what your next steps are to adapt and overcome the challenges of a birth injury.
An experienced birth injury attorney can help investigate and guide families through the process of finding answers. If your child’s Cerebral Palsy was caused by a preventable medical mistake, then you may be entitled to compensation. This compensation can open up options for early intervention and treatment that may improve your child’s development.
Other CP Resources
In addition to legal advice, you may also have questions about the financial, emotional and practical concerns arising from your baby’s cerebral palsy. We hope the resources listed below can help you find further assistance.
Support
- Cerebral Palsy Foundation: A non-profit organization seeking to better understand the impact of CP and advance treatments and solutions to improve the lives of those living with this condition.
- United Cerebral Palsy (UCP): A non-profit advocacy and support organization that offers a variety of services to children and adults with cerebral palsy.
- Cure CP: An non-profit organization founded by 2 families who want to see a better life and future for their children with cerebral palsy by helping to advance and fund medical research to eradicate this debilitating condition.
- March of Dimes: A national organization seeking to improve health and wellness for new mothers and babies, as well as help people connect with local support systems.
- International Cerebral Palsy Society (ICPS): An international non-profit association with members in 42 countries around the world seeking to be a global voice for people with CP, their families and the professionals who work with them.
- Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation: An organization partnering with researchers, institutes, and foundations around the globe to harness scientific expertise, aggregate global findings, incentivize progress, and access unparalleled insight in the CP research space.
- CP Daily Living: A journal and resource for parents and caregivers of children with cerebral palsy.
- Reaching for the Stars (RFTS): The only non-profit pediatric cerebral palsy foundation in the U.S. led by parents.
- World Cerebral Palsy Day: An annual celebration on the 6th of October with the goal of getting the whole world to come together to recognize and celebrate the 17 million people around the globe living with cerebral palsy.
Government
Research & studies
- American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine: A professional society of over 1,100 health professionals dedicated to providing multidisciplinary scientific education and promoting excellence in research and services for the benefit of people with and at risk for cerebral palsy and other childhood-onset disabilities.
- Cerebral Palsy Research Registry: A multi-institutional collaborative effort whose primary mission is to improve our understanding of cerebral palsy by working together with families and researchers to make a difference in the lives of people affected by cerebral palsy.
- U.S. National Library of Medicine’s ClinicalTrials.gov: Find a list of upcoming, active and former clinical research relating to cerebral palsy.
In addition, you can browse the latest studies and scientific research published about cerebral palsy:
