by Tina Shelnutt

Created on: January 28, 2009

I have to say that, I am no doctor, nurse or psychologist. Experience which I have, come from the hard knocks of life and personal experience.

My daughter Teresa, at age one, became ill with Meningitis. After two months in the hospital she was diagnosed with 80% brain damage, paralysis, blind, deaf, seizure disorder, VP Shunt, and Cerebral Palsy. She was a total 'vegetable' (as the doctors called it) when we took her home.

Through time we went through many crash course lessons on her medical condition and needs. The one thing that I learned about a Cerebral Palsy patient is the importance of stimulation. They need constant touching, feeling, interaction with others, therapy, cuddling and security. And most important of all...never give up on their ability to progress and learn something new.

Every Cerebral Palsy child has unique needs and abilities. There is no one method of treatment for a CP patient.

You are dealing with a very wide spectrum of disability, mental impairment, health conditions, and seizure disorders

And cause and effect issues. The standard treatment for a CP patient will begin with assessment of their condition

and needs. They will work up an assessment report which will allow a starting point and highlight the main areas of concern and progress.

An Individual Evaluation Plan (IEP) will become a very important resource as time goes by. It is very important to be involved in the IEP process. This will forecast the wide range of medical and physical needs and plan of action for your child. Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Neurological and Vision, to name a few.

As a parent, we must keep our focus on this precious child we have been given and avoid the overwhelming tendency to try and be more then our child needs. We are the foundation, security, advocate and mentor for our child. We are the voice which they do not have.

Teresa receives PT, OP, Neurological, and Speech Therapy, to name a few. I give Teresa everything the medical field cannot give her. She has lots of love, stimulation, people interaction, reinforcement of medical therapy which we can do at home and a constant positive atmosphere with lots of laughter, music and personal care.

The rewards are many for those who care for a special needs child or adult. The challenges can be overwhelming and life changing. We live our life around theirs, often forgetting to care for ourselves. As a caretaker, you must take time for you.

It is so easy to be consumed by your situation. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year...at times will seem like an eternity. Remember this...the patient is only as well as the caretaker. Take life 'One Minute...One Hour...One Day at a Time!

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