Brief Review: Psychological Health and Life Quality of Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

Cerebral palsy continues to be the most common cause of disability developing in infancy. How such a complex disorder affects adult life raises important questions on the critical issues of consideration and the most appropriate care pathway beginning in early childhood. Persons with cerebral palsy have multiple challenges beyond performing motor skills and achieving physical capabilities. Most individuals also report various psychosocial stressors, primarily those which are lifelong. Furthermore, mental health issues occur more commonly in this patient subset, as do struggles with employment and education. Often the severity of challenges correlates to the magnitude of the cerebral palsy. The prognosis of individuals with cerebral palsy has improved over the last three decades and Cerebral palsy should therefore be considered as a lifelong condition. To promote healthy aging across their lifespan, intervention programs should be considered to improve physical well-being, and care should be taken to maintain their positive mental health.