Posted: August 31, 2015
The day a child is diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy is assuredly a difficult one for the entire family. While CP can impact children and adults in a variety of ways, having a concrete Cerebral Palsy diagnosis is the first step to getting critical assistance. Doing so can not only help in better understanding the challenges to come, but also bolster your family’s ability to help your child overcome challenges in their ongoing development and success.
First: if your child has yet to receive a Cerebral Palsy diagnosis, despite exhibiting symptoms and/or experiencing a difficult delivery, speak with your pediatrician or a neurologist as soon as possible. Doing so is important for opening doors to different treatment and assistance programs, as well as beginning the therapy process. Early intervention is important due to the ability for children to achieve more of their potential with therapeutic care and more. Thus, the sooner your child begins these programs, the better their chance for confronting and possibly overcoming challenges related to their CP.
After the Cerebral Palsy diagnosis, your next step should be to find out your child’s medical options. Depending on your financial situation, you may need to use programs provided by the government to ensure your child receives the best treatment possible. We recently discussed this in a blog post on insurance options so be sure to read up on efforts like CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) that are able to help in the days, months, years and more after your child’s Cerebral Palsy diagnosis.
Depending on the severity of your child’s CP, your needs may vary from general physical therapy to braces/orthotics to a wheelchair, or possibly even full-time home care assistance. A wide number of programs do exist to help where insurance may limit options, which may be operated by the government or even private organizations. What’s more, there are also organizations like United Cerebral Palsy that aim to make an impact specifically for those children diagnosed with CP. Once a Cerebral Palsy diagnosis has been solidified, there is a community of parents just like you and organizations dedicated to helping however they can!
MyChild is one of those organizations. Founded as an initiative to fill the gaps left by insurance companies, state/federal programs and more, MyChild’s care team works with parents to see how we can help in any way possible. Children recently diagnosed with CP tend to be younger and, as a result, may benefit from therapy programs or information aimed at helping at a critical time. Our care team assists families from birth to adulthood, meaning MyChild serves as a partner in your child’s ongoing success. Resources available range widely, from programs aimed at helping with vehicle or home modifications, to energy bill assistance, orthotics, assistive technology and more – all provided completely free of charge via telephone or email.
If you have questions about your child’s health and/or suspect your child may have Cerebral Palsy, speak to a doctor immediately. Beginning the process of treating the conditions associated with CP often begins with a confirmed Cerebral Palsy diagnosis, making it a critical medical determination. For more information on how we can help you and your child, fill out our contact form or call us at (800) 692-4453
(800) 692-4453 FREE today!
