The adult with cerebral palsy: a provider-consumer perspective

Advances in medical and surgical care over the past 20 years have resulted in children who formerly would have died at birth or in infancy now surviving into adulthood, many with significant, permanent physical disabilities, including those due to cerebral palsy (CP). Increased awareness of these problems is needed by adult health care providers, who will be providing direct care to these individuals, and also by pediatric providers, who may be able to anticipate and prevent some of the long-term problems. This article reviews the common medical-surgical problems and their management in adults with CP. In addition the life experience of a 44 year-old with CP is described from a personal perspective.