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Cerebral Palsy Scotland

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  • What is cerebral palsy?
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What is cerebral palsy?

  • What is cerebral palsy?
  • The main types of cerebral palsy
  • Classification systems
  • Diagnosing cerebral palsy
  • Looking to the future
  • What is cerebral palsy?
  • The main types of cerebral palsy
  • Classification systems
  • Diagnosing cerebral palsy
  • Looking to the future
What is cerebral palsy?

People with cerebral palsy have damage to their brain or have a brain that has developed atypically.

The damage to the brain occurs either before birth or during the child’s early development. It causes a disruption to the development of movement and posture.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is an ‘umbrella term’, meaning that it’s a name given to a group of disorders and functions.

CP is the most common physical disability in children. Around 1 in 500 births will result in a diagnosis of CP and in Scotland around 150 children are diagnosed each year.

How does CP affect someone?

No two people experience CP in the same way. How someone is affected will depend on the type of CP a person has and how much of their body is affected.

CP affects a person’s ability to control their movement, posture and balance. Muscles can be tight, stiff or floppy. Mobility can be affected, and one in three children with CP are unable to walk.

As well as affecting movement, CP can affect other areas of function:

Communication: One in four people with CP are unable to talk, and instead use alternative methods of communication including high-tech aids.

Eating and drinking: Some people with CP can have difficulties with eating, drinking and swallowing.

Pain: Three-quarters of people living with CP experience pain.

Epilepsy: Affects one in four children with CP.

Learning disability: One in every two people with CP has a learning disability.

Vision impairment: Some people with CP have a vision impairment, with one in ten having a severe vision impairment.

Bladder control problems: Affect one in four children with CP. Lack of mobility can also cause issues with constipation.

Sleep: One in five children with CP have a sleep disorder.

Saliva control: One in five children with CP have difficulty controlling saliva, leading to drooling.

Sensory: Difficulties with sensory processing can be quite common in children with CP. Some children can find going to sleep and waking up distressing, and so cry a lot. Others don’t receive the sensory information they need from joints to guide movement.

A lifelong condition

CP is a lifelong condition. While the original injury to the brain doesn’t get worse over time, this doesn’t mean CP is a ‘static’ condition that never changes.

As a person with CP grows, they can develop secondary problems with their muscles or skeleton, such as increased tightness in muscles and joints and dislocations.  This can change a person’s physical abilities over time.  People can also experience problems with pain and fatigue as they grow older.

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Latest News

Key insights from the Cerebral Palsy Scotland community survey 2025
Key insights from the Cerebral Palsy Scotland community survey 2025

Between January-March 2025, Cerebral Palsy Scotland ran a survey to get insight into the key challenges facing the cerebral palsy community, as well as... Read more

Key insights from the Cerebral Palsy Scotland community survey 2025
More children to get a Bright Beginning, thanks to National Lottery
More children to get a Bright Beginning, thanks to National Lottery

We are delighted to announce that Cerebral Palsy Scotland will receive £164,194 from The National Lottery Community Fund to provide specialist therapy... Read more

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Find out how we’ve made an impact in 2023-24
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Our latest Annual Review shows how Cerebral Palsy Scotland has made a difference to the lives of children and adults with cerebral palsy over the past... Read more

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Make people with cerebral palsy count – Cerebral Palsy Scotland’s election manifesto
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With the general election to be held on 4 July, Cerebral Palsy Scotland is calling on candidates to pledge to improve services for people with cerebral... Read more

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Tribute to Jim Campbell, former Chairman of Cerebral Palsy Scotland
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It is with great sadness that we at Cerebral Palsy Scotland pay tribute to our former Chairman, Jim Campbell, who passed away on Sunday 26 May 2024. Jim... Read more

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Bobath Centre in Watford announces closure
Bobath Centre in Watford announces closure

We at Cerebral Palsy Scotland are very saddened to hear that The Bobath Centre, based in Watford, England, is to cease operations at the end of May. The... Read more

Bobath Centre in Watford announces closure

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Cerebral Palsy Scotland
Bradbury House
10 High Craighall Road
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info@cpscot.org.uk
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