Facts about Cerebral Palsy

• Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability in Australia and can be one of the most expensive to manage.
• CP is not a disease and it is not contagious.
• Currently there is no known cure and no pre-birth test.
• Most children with CP can expect a normal life span.
• In Australia it is estimated that a child is born with CP every 15 hours.
• 1 child in 500 will develop CP and the number is unchanged over many years, though the severity level is on the increase.
• There are around 34,000 people with cerebral palsy in Australia.
• CP can be as mild as just a weakness in one hand ranging to an almost complete lack of movement.
• Some people with CP may also have vision, hearing and speech impairments.
• At least 2/3 of children with CP have movement difficulties affecting one or both arms which impacts their daily activities.
• The majority of children with CP have profound and severe activity limitations:
  • Nearly 2/3 have self-care limitations (64.7%)
  • Over 1/2 have mobility limitations (52.7%)
  • Over 1/3 have communication limitations (39.9%)
• Cerebral palsy can be more disabling and have a higher disability burden than being blind, deaf, asthmatic, diabetic, or having heart failure or localized cancer.