Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month 2025.

March marks cerebral palsy (CP) awareness month, which is dedicated to raising awareness of the condition and the 17 million people diagnosed worldwide.

Green is the official colour for cerebral palsy awareness, and people are invited to wear green to show their support and raise awareness.

What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term used to describe a group of permanent conditions that affect movement, coordination and sometimes the cognitive development of a person’s brain. Typically, cerebral palsy is caused by an insult or injury to the brain, either during pregnancy, or during or shortly after birth, therefore affecting children. It is estimated that around one in every 400 children in the UK are born with cerebral palsy (Source: Scope) meaning there are around 160,000 people living with a form of CP in the UK.

It is a lifelong condition and the severity of the condition depends on what part of the brain was damaged and for how long. There are generally three categories describing the impairment of mobility and movement being;

• Spastic cerebral palsy – being the most common form where the child will have very tight tone in their arms and/or legs, stiff jerky movements and therefore difficulty moving. It can affect all four limbs, a whole side of the body or legs only.
• Dyskinetic cerebral palsy – usually presenting with uncontrolled limb movements and varying muscle tone.
• Ataxic cerebral palsy – the mildest form of cerebral palsy where there are often difficulties with balance, spatial awareness and unsteady movements.

Whilst all children will typically have problems with movement, cerebral palsy can also affect speech, swallowing, include learning difficulties, behavioural difficulties, senses impairment, bladder and bowel function issues and reduced fine motor skills.

Diagnosis and affect

There is no test for diagnosing CP and instead it is diagnosed based on clinical features seen in a child and their history. Some investigations and scans can include MRIs, CT scans, blood tests and cranial ultrasounds. Clinicians may also look at the CTGs taken during pregnancy and/or labour.

Usually a diagnosis of cerebral palsy is made when children are a little older and it becomes clear that some or most developmental milestones have not been hit, such as supporting their head, rolling, crawling, walking, talking, sitting etc.

With a diagnosis of cerebral palsy there will be a multi-disciplinary approach to management of the condition including paediatricians, orthopaedic clinicians, orthotists, paediatric neurologists, physio and neuro physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and dieticians. There is often input from the NHS and private clinicians depending on the resources used in management of the condition.

A diagnosis of cerebral palsy can seem overwhelming and daunting, but there are many resources available to assist families navigating such a diagnosis. Support charities can provide emotional and practical support for families and the child affected, signposting further resources available to assist with managing CP and its effects.

Cerebral palsy and clinical negligence

Cerebral palsy can arise due to negligent care or failure to act before, during or shortly after birth. In these cases, we will look at the care given during pregnancy and delivery and establish the nature of the injury and whether this can be attributed to any potential failings in care.
Expert evidence is critical in determining the nature and extent of any injury and in these types of cases, timing is everything.

There are strict time limits within which a person can bring a claim for compensation for cerebral palsy, and typically court proceedings must be brought within three years from a child’s 18th birthday. Alternatively, if a person lacks the cognitive capacity to understand litigation, then there are no time limits within which to start a claim.

Whilst it is appreciated that no amount of compensation can undo what has happened to your child and family if there has been negligence, a compensation award can contribute to funding the additional resources and aids your child may now require in order to enjoy a reasonable quality of life. Funds secured can be used to help fund additional care, assistive technology, mobility aids and even contribute to accommodation adaptations.

Here at Lanyon Bowdler our specialist clinical negligence team have the knowledge and experience to support you through your compensation claim, ensuring you get the best possible outcome. If you wish to consider bringing a claim, or would be interested in a free consultation, please do get in touch via button below or by telephone on: 01743 280280.