Children's Health

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You and your family and friends can help your child reach his or her highest potential. Focus on his or her strengths. And build self-esteem by helping your child learn to do things by himself or herself. For more information see:

Growth and Development: Helping Your Child Build Self-Esteem.

Teen years

As your child approaches the teen years and young adulthood, be aware of his or her changing needs.

• Teens and adults with CP need emotional support and understanding. Family members and other supportive friends and family can help them deal with the daily challenges of having CP.
• Gradually prepare your child with CP for independent living. Usually teens have learned to use their talents and strengths. But they may need extra help and encouragement to prepare for added expectations and responsibilities.
• Teens and young adults with CP may also need more guidance than other people their age in developing intimate relationships.

Learn to change your routines as your child with CP grows and develops. For example, you may not be able to continue caring for a severely affected child who is growing tall and heavy. Try to plan ahead for the time when your grown child with CP is not under your care. For more information, see the Other Places to Get Help section of this topic.

Adulthood

Preparing your child for adulthood takes careful planning. It also requires patience and resourcefulness on your part. Do not abandon your efforts because of frustrating setbacks or obstacles.

• Encourage independent living skills. A time may come when you or other family members can no longer assist your child in all areas.
• Plan for an adult's current and future health care needs. Complications of cerebral palsy may develop and affect quality of life. Also, some forms of CP are more severe and require special assistance.
• Help your older child prepare an advance directive, a form that describes a person's wishes about the kinds of medical care to receive when he or she can no longer make medical decisions. For more information, see the topics Writing An Advance Directive and Home Medical Records.
• Occupational therapy and similar programs may be helpful. Most adults with CP are employed, despite moderate to severe physical disability. Laws protect the rights of disabled people to find and hold employment (among other rights). Learn about the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 at www.ada.gov.
• Older adults with CP may need extra help preparing for retirement.