Research has shown that over 75% of people living with disabled children in the UK currently live in poverty in comparison to those families without disabilities. When the charity organisation Scope conducted this research they discovered that living with a disability means a family is twice as likely to be plunged into the poverty trap. http://www.scope.org.uk.
When a family member is diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy this can be devastating news to cope with on so many levels and as the condition is incurable it is crucial that the sufferer enjoys an excellent quality of life. It is important to note that while Cerebral Palsy is not a degenerative condition, together with many other medical conditions and disabilities there is generally a heavy burden both financially and practically for the individual and the wider family unit.
There are higher costs involved when living with any disability whether it is as a child or an adult living an independent life. With needs from a wheelchair or a motorised scooter to adaptations in the home these can be costly. For this reason many families are turning to a good solicitor to seek compensation for their or their child’s injuries when it turns out Cerebral Palsy was caused by medical negligence during pregnancy or birth.
Cerebral Palsy is not a condition restricted to gender, ethnicity or country and occurs from birth affecting one in 400 children in the UK alone regardless of social background. The condition strikes at birth, but its origins can begin during pregnancy or during the birth itself, and is caused by an injury to the brain for a number of reasons resulting in difficulty controlling movement and muscle control.
The severity of the condition varies from person to person and can in some cases be debilitating for one sufferer while in other cases it is hardly noticeable.
A perfect example is the number of Paralympians we have in the UK with Cerebral Palsy who inspired a nation when they competed in the London 2012 Olympics with equestrian Sophie Christiansen winning three gold medals at the age of just 24 to add to her already impressive medal haul in previous Olympic events. Like Sophie who was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when she was born two months prematurely, the condition strikes and sufferers very often fight against the odds for survival – in this case with winning results.
From a financial stand point the fight can be hard and long, understandably not all sufferers are going to be future Paralympians with the prospect of sponsorship deals and funding for expensive sporting facilities, but day to day living with Cerebral Palsy brings its own challenges. Every parent with a disabled child wants them to live a full and normal life and learn to be more independent, and sometimes this means looking into compensations through a solicitor.
With the help of physiotherapy and a tailored package of treatments this is possible, from baby massage, to Dolphin Therapy, to Botox for relaxing the muscles, to the Alexander Technique which strengthens the core of the body and limbs the list of treatments and complementary therapies on offer to help Cerebral Palsy sufferers is a long one.
