What Is The Life Expectancy Of People With Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral Palsy is a disorder that arises from brain damage either before or during birth or days after the child is born. It inhibits the child’s control over motor abilities such as muscle control and movement of limbs. 6th October is designated with the title World Cerebral Palsy Day and the goal is to raise awareness about this disorder.

Cerebral palsy can drastically affect a child’s quality of life. But it is not a progressive disorder (it doesn’t deteriorate with time). In this context, it is important to learn what the life expectancy of a person with cerebral palsy is.

Cerebral palsy and life expectancy

There are no official studies or surveys that have conclusively determined how many years a person with cerebral palsy is expected to live. The severity of the condition differs from child to child and life expectancy is linked to the degree of cerebral palsy.

People with cerebral palsy can live as many years as people without this condition- an average of 80 years. However, more serious cases of cerebral palsy can reduce life expectancy to 30 years.

This is how life expectancy is tentatively guessed-

Children with no intellectual growth problems and minimal movement impairment respond well to therapy (physical, psychological and occupational). Their quality of life is likely to be more or less normal. And as a result, their life expectancy will be the same as any other healthy person’s. They can survive without much assistance.

Intellectually impaired children who show minimal response to therapy and have an advanced degree of loss of control over muscles and movement are not expected to live beyond 30 years.

A summary of factors that affect life expectancy

Factors that lower life expectancy of a person with cerebral palsy will live are-

• A high number of impairments

• High level of severity

• Self-feeding issues

• Seizures

• Low cognitive abilities

• Low eye function

• Compromised breathing function

These conditions can worsen the health of the child with cerebral palsy. They can trigger malnutrition, weak immunity, further brain injury, pneumonia, infection from feeding tubes, neurological problems etc that can be life-threatening and drastically bring down life expectancy.

Can life expectancy of a child with cerebral palsy be increased?

As soon as the child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, he/she should be put under treatment, medication and therapy. The sooner this is done, the more likely is the child to respond well to treatment. And this will increase his/her life span. Learn to recognize the signs so that you can identify the disorder in your child.

With special care and love, you can make the life of your child with cerebral palsy bearable.