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CEREBRAL PALSY
A Collection of Experiences Regarding Cerebral Palsy
Chloe Werkema
What would it be like to not be able to communicate with your family and
friends? What would it be like to not be able to tell your mother you want an apple,

or tell your wife you love her? It is important to contemplate these ideas in order to
create a sense of empathy for people with cerebral. The first step of knowing more
about cerebral palsy and other orthopedic impairments is to properly define the
terms using definitions provided by governmental agencies. In order to bring
written definitions to life, it is crucial to
hear the stories of individuals who have
cerebral palsy. It was my privilege to
have the opportunity to hear Chris Klein
speak about his life with cerebral. After
his speech, I was able to process my
reactions and ask questions. Most
importantly, I was able to apply this knowledge to my life in order to see how it will
impact my future career as a child psychologist. Also, it was neat to learn about how
our world accommodates people with cerebral palsy and other orthopedic
impairments through assistive technologies. Above all, people with cerebral palsy
have their own personalities. They deserve to be able to communicate their
thoughts and feelings. It is extremely important for the general public to be
educated about cerebral palsy and other orthopedic impairments in order to create

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a world where people with or orthopedic impairments feel comfortable in all

situations.
Students with cerebral palsy experience stiff mobility as a result of tight
muscles. They also may experience abnormal movement as well as poor balance.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy may be present in one side or both sides of the
body. While some students with cerebral palsy are able to walk unassisted, others
may need to support of braces, canes, walkers, or wheelchairs. It is common for
students with cerebral palsy to experience seizures. The cause of cerebral palsy is
often a prenatal or perinatal experience in which brain development is interrupted.
Sadly, there is no cure for cerebral palsy. Impairments that are the result of cerebral
palsy can be classified as orthopedic impairments. Orthopedic impairments limit an
individual's body movements and mobility. Some students have limited mobility in
their arms or legs, and some may use wheelchairs or braces to move around.
Orthopedic impairments are often referred to as physical disabilities because the
student's physical body is affected.
According to IDEA 2004, the definition of orthopedic impairment includes
"impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease (e.g.,
poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral
palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures)," and it requires
that the student's academic performance be affected. Neuromotor impairments,
caused by damage to the spinal cord or other parts of the nervous system that lead
to difficulty with mobility and movement, are a common cause for orthopedic
impairments. Cerebral palsy is one of the most common types of neuromotor

CEREBRAL PALSY
impairments. In the case of cerebral palsy, a students Multidisciplinary Evaluation
Team could consist of a psychologist, a neurologist, a speech and language
pathologist, a physical therapist, and/or an occupational therapist.
Even though this collection of experiences is focused on orthopedic
impairments, the disease of cerebral palsy has many other important aspects to it.

Cerebral palsy can contribute to dysarthria. Students with dysarthria typically have
a neurological impairment that causes difficulty moving the muscles of the face and
mouth. The result of dysarthria can be difficultly with speech and communication.
Cerebral palsy can also be
considered a
developmental disability.
This category, not
recognized by IDEA 2004,
includes all disorders and
disabilities that occur
during an individual's

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development, typically defined as the period from birth until adulthood (22 years
old). A student with a developmental disability does not necessarily have problems
with intellectual functioning or adaptive behaviors. When confronted with student
who has cerebral palsy, educators must take all aspects of the disease into
consideration, even though the orthopedic aspect may seem especially important.
It is important to be familiar with different services available in order to help
people with orthopedic impairments. There are many assistive technologies that can

CEREBRAL PALSY

enhance learning for a student with an orthopedic impairment (such as cerebral

palsy). Assistive technologies can be complicated or simple. Since people with
cerebral palsy have muscles that do not stop moving, Velcro can be an easy way for
them to hold objects and not drop them. A person can wear a Velcro glove, then have
Velcro on objects like forks and pencils. Augmentative and alternative
communication (AAC) systems enable communication for people with cerebral
palsy. They range from communication boards to speech generating devices. A
communication board is a message board that is strategically organized to
communicate key information. The Tobii M-Series is a communication aid primarily
made for touch input. The device can be used as a speech-generating device, or to
write emails and chat with others. Words and symbols are used to generate
synthesized speech and text. Assistive technologies can make life easier for people
with orthopedic impairments.
Chris Klein, a Hope College graduate, and his wife, Dawn, came to speak to
our Exceptional Child class. Chris is a fantastic motivational speaker. However, he
does not speak with his vocal chords. He uses an Augmentative Alternative
Communication system. Due to a lack of oxygen to his brain at birth, Chris Klein lives
with cerebral palsy. His muscles never stop moving. Communication can be
frustrating for Chris. Sometimes he feels like he is playing a guessing game. When
Chris was in school, his speech and language pathologist taught him to use picture
boards and word books. This made Chris feel limited in his communication; he
wanted a device that would let him create his own sentences, rather than one that
forced him to use pre-made phrases. Chris is passionate about communication

CEREBRAL PALSY
devices. He does not believe in pre-programmed sentences because in order for a
device to change a life, it must let a person create their own sentences. Also, preprogrammed devices may not have all the words a person may want to say. For
example, Americans use the word stuff more than the word toothbrush in daily

life. However, toothbrush is normally pre-programmed on communication devices

and the word stuff is not. Chris communication device utilizes icon sequencing.
For him, speaking is like playing the piano. He is not consciously thinking about
what he is saying. He lets words come in his head, then he automatically types them
with his foot. Above all, Chris is
thankful for his Augmentative
Alternative Communication
system because he is able to
truly say what he feels is true.
Chris told our class that
he was mainstreamed for
mathematics class in second grade. When Chris was in school, mainstreaming was
not enforced by law. Now, it is the law that all students should be given the
opportunity to learn in the least restrictive environment (LRE). After Chris
surpassed expectations for second-grade mathematics, he attended a special school
that was a half hour away from his home. He was sad to not have classmates from
his own neighborhood.
Dawn, Chris wife, was able to speak to us as well. The couple met on the
Internet; their friends made them create accounts on an online dating website. Just

CEREBRAL PALSY

like any other couple, they sometimes have communication issues. However, they
both support each other. Dawn does not view Chris as being disabled. Interestingly
enough, he is not disabled when she dreams about him. Above all, Chris is an
advocate for others with cerebral palsy. He is going into a school to help a student
who needs a communication device. He is a great guy with a great personality. He
shared with us a story of his college days. When the Hope College basketball team
played Kalamazoo College, he flashed a light into the free throwers eyes! Chris is a
riot! People with disabilities have their own personalities; in many ways, they are
just like people without disabilities.
After Chris Kleins presentation, I felt extremely hopeful. He was a delight to
listen to. I appreciated his sense of humor as well as his thought-provoking view of
life. He challenged me to think outside the box about my interactions with people
who have disabilities. I was captivated by the story of his struggle to find ways to
communicate with his family and friends before he received his AAC system. Since I
previously did not know much about cerebral palsy, I was curious about how he
performed daily tasks. Also, I was very curious about Chris relationship with his
wife, Dawn. Another student asked how they met. Dawn shared with us the
struggles they face as a couple, but also how rewarding their relationship is. I
wanted to know if he ever got extremely frustrated because of his impairment. Even
though I did not verbally ask this question, Chris answered it with his positive
outlook on life.
As a future child psychologist, this information is very important to me. I may
encounter children who have cerebral palsy or children who are related to people

CEREBRAL PALSY

with cerebral palsy. It is important for my perspective on orthopedic impairments to

be broadened because I will need to know about how orthopedic impairments can
affect the daily lives of individuals. As a Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MET)
member, it will be my job to assess how an orthopedic impairment may affect a
specific childs academic success. Also, outside of my career, this information still
remains crucial. I may come in to contact with more people who have orthopedic
impairments. It is possible that my future friends or family members could have
orthopedic impairments. I believe that the most important life skill is to be able to
properly interact with people from all walks of life.
Now that I am better educated about orthopedic
impairments, I will feel more confident when I come
in to contact with a person who is visually impaired.
Also, I will be able to better assist people with
orthopedic impairments by using my newfound
knowledge.
In order to bring the definitions of orthopedic impairments to life, it is
important to interact with people who have orthopedic impairments. Chris Klein
was able to share his life experiences of having a cerebral palsy with my class. He
told stories that I was able to relate to. Chris has inspired me to reach out and
befriend individuals who have cerebral palsy. He has taught me that people with
cerebral palsy are intelligent people who want to communicate with others. Chris
helped answer many of my questions about orthopedic impairments by sharing his
situation with me. As a future child psychologist, it is important for me to be

CEREBRAL PALSY
educated about orthopedic impairments because I may be the member of a MET. It
would be my responsibility to see how an orthopedic impairment may affect a
childs academic success. Today, there are many assistive technologies that help
people with orthopedic impairments. It is important for everyone to be better
educated about orthopedic impairments because at one time or another, every

person will come into contact with a person who has an orthopedic impairment. The
only way to avoid ignorance is through learning. It is important for everyone to
learn more about our world and the people in in, including the people with
orthopedic impairments.

References
Assistive Technology Information | UCP. (2014). Retrieved from
http://ucp.org/resources/assistive-technology/
Michigan Department Of Education, Office Of Special Education. (2013). Michigan
Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE). Supplemented With
Selected IDEA Federal Regulations. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from

CEREBRAL PALSY

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/MARSE_Supplemented_with_ID
EA_Regs_379598_7.pdf
Powell, S., & Driver, M. K. (2013). Working with Exceptional Students: An Introduction
to Special Education. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education
Tobii M-Series - Speak up, be heard. (2014). Retrieved from
http://www.tobii.com/en/assistivetechnology/global/products/hardware/tobii-m-series/