Life expectancy Cerebral Palsy

Most children with cerebral palsy can live long, happy, quality lives. Admittedly, their care may involve more visits to health care practitioners, require therapy or medications, and perhaps surgery at some point. They may be evaluated for special education assistance and require assistive technology devices and services, but a child’s physical impairment, in general, will not limit his or her life span. However, the severity level of the child’s condition, as well as improper management of his or her symptoms, may put the child at risk for diminished life expectancy. Research indicates properly managing a child’s health status may assist in optimizing life span.
Cerebral palsy, in itself, is a condition that does not progress. This means the one-time injury to the brain, which is responsible for the cerebral palsy and the resulting mobility impairment, will not worsen or change over time. However, other health issues, known as associate conditions and co-mitigating factors, are not caused by the same brain injury, and may change over time. Depending on severity and management practices, these conditions may change over time and can have an impact – for better or worse – on overall health status and life expectancy. Conditions found commonly with cerebral palsy include cognitive impairment, feeding difficulties, seizure activity, vision impairment, and hearing impairment.
Sometimes, a newborn will pass at or soon after the time of birth, leaving parents devastated and wondering how or if they might have prevented the child’s death. With advancement of technology and science, more babies are indeed surviving at birth, when previously they would not, but some have severe outcomes. Sometimes the brain injury is too severe and presents a life-threatening, unavoidable situation, while other times a different set of circumstances, such as low birth weight and prematurity, may have caused the child’s death, not cerebral palsy. Many reasons for premature death exist.
The majority of children with cerebral palsy are diagnosed within the first 3-5 years of life. Once diagnosed, focus is placed on managing the child’s physical impairments and overall health. For instance, a child with cerebral palsy may have oral motor dysfunction, meaning facial muscles are impaired and hence, chewing and swallowing are more difficult. This, in itself, is not necessarily a life-threatening condition. If the child chokes or aspirates due to the swallowing difficulty, however, they are at greater risk for contracting pneumonia and infections. These conditions are serious and must be managed properly to optimize the child’s health status.

None of these, or any other factors, guarantee a shortened life expectancy, instead a call for proper management of health conditions. Children with severe cerebral palsy and a number of co-mitigating factors, have been known to live a near-normal life span. Every situation is unique and dependent upon many factors.

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