a.    What body system(s) does it affect?- It effects the muscular and nervous system.

b.   Describe the disorder & what happens to the individual. - a congenital disorder of movement, muscle tone, and posture.

c.    Identify some signs and symptoms of the disorder.- difficulty walking, difficulty with bodily movements, speech disorder, difficulty swallowing.

d.   How is the disorder treated?- Self-care, therapy, medications, surgery

e.   Describe what could happen if the disorder was left untreated.- Brain injury

f.    What is the quality of life for the individual?- They can't have social interactions

g.   What are some preventable measures?- Try not to injure your brain

h.   What should people know about this disorder?- It can be life long or a couple of years

Hello, my name is Mary and you where probably wondering why I am in this wheelchair. I am here to tell you about my life being diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

I was walking in a park when all of a sudden I tripped over this rock and hit my head on a park bench. So we decided to go to the doctor.

Mary you had a significant brain injury. We are running more tests to see if anything else happened to your brain.

A couple weeks go by and I was having trouble with walking and swallowing. So we decided to go back to the doctor.

"Doc, I am having trouble with walking and swallowing".

"Mary we did some tests and I am sorry, but you have Cerebral Palsy."

I had never heard of the disease before I was diagnosed, so I was really nervous.

As I grew older the symptoms got worse and worse. I was so afraid to be out in public and have social contact.

One time I was walking around town and all I could see is people staring at me. It made me really uncomfortable.

My doctor told me that with my disease getting worse, that I would need a wheelchair.

It will take some getting use to, but you will get the hang of it with some help.

At that point in my life, I had to face the fact that I would be different than the others.

It has been a couple of years now since I have been in a wheelchair, and Iit has been very very hard for me.

The hardest part is not being able to play any sports or do anything active with my friends.