Annotated Bibliography
Bobath center, guide for parents and carers. Retrieved October 13, 2003, from
From this website I retrieved information on the social developmental issues that a child with cerebral palsy faces. For instance, this website states that children with cerebral palsy often have lower levels of self-esteem and self-acceptance than age mates who do not have a disability. This is because children with cerebral palsy need assistance in many aspects of their lives. Additionally, information at this website states that children with cerebral palsy often have little social interaction due to isolation from peers and inability to participate in certain social activities, such as athletics. On a lighter side, the website provided information on how the parent, through play activities and encouragement, can help the child develop socially acceptable behaviors and higher levels of self-esteem.
Cerebral palsy fact sheet. Retrieved October 9, 2003, from
This website contains general information pertaining to what characterizes cerebral palsy as well as advice for parents and teachers. I used this website’s information on education for the child with cerebral palsy. One section of the website explains that all children with disabilities are entitled to public education and that services for the child must be provided by the school. This section of the website continues to say that the school and the parents of children with cerebral palsy design an Individualized Education Program that describes the child’s needs and the services that will be provided to meet those needs.
Cerebral Palsy: Hope Through Research. National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke. Retrieved October 8, 2003, from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/pubs/cerebral_palsyhtr.htm#What%20Other%20Major%20Problems
At this website I discovered most of the information regarding the symptoms of cerebral palsy. These include general symptoms as well as specific symptoms seen in the four different types of cerebral palsy which are spastic, athetoid, ataxic, and mixed. I found information on the early signs of cerebral palsy such as unusual posture and favoring of one side of the body. Furthermore, I used this website’s information on problems associated with cerebral palsy such as difficulties feeding, breathing, and controlling one’s bladder. Lastly, there was beneficial information provided on physical developmental delays in children with cerebral palsy, the cause for these delays, and what doctors and parents can due to help the child progress as much as possible.
Harris, S. (1991). Movement analysis – an aid to early diagnosis of cerebral palsy.
Physical Therapy, 71, 215 - 218.
From this article I discovered information on the early signs of cerebral palsy. The article states that two prominent early signs of cerebral palsy were increased or decreased muscle tone and delays in reaching developmental milestones. The article sites two research studies conducted. The first research study proved that early signs of hypertonia or hypotonia most often led to a diagnosis of cerebral palsy by middle childhood. The second research study showed that delays in reaching milestones such as holding one’s head up, supporting oneself with one’s arms, rolling over, sitting, and walking in a large percentage of the children who displayed the symptoms, led to a diagnosis of cerebral palsy by the age of seven.
Hutchinson, E. (1995). The physical therapist looks at the school child. The
Physiotherapy Review, 24, 6-9.
This article provided information on how a child with cerebral palsy is integrated into the classroom of a public school. The article describes what an education program for a child may include, such as how often the child is integrated in the classroom or pulled out of the classroom for therapy in a typical day. It describes what parents and teachers can do to facilitate learning as well as the benefits of integrating children into public schools rather than in schools for children with special needs. For instance, the article states that those children who are not disabled become more accepting of other’s differences. Also, the child with cerebral palsy becomes better prepared for interactions with the social world outside of the school environment. In addition, the article lists what the physical therapists and occupational therapists work on with children with cerebral who attend public schools. Foremost, these two therapists work to establish the ability to sit, move independently, and write.
Tracy, T. (2003). My Story in Learning I have Cerebral Palsy. Retrieved October 14,
2003, from
http://www.healthlinkusa.com/64_getpage.asp?http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Glade/5494/
This website is a personal account of a ten year old boy named Taylor Tracy who has spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. This is an account by a boy who does not have mental retardation and thus was able to describe in great detail the events that have occurred in his life up to the present time. The symptoms he describes, such as the crossing over of his legs and the crossing of his eyes, are a direct result of his extreme hypertonia. His family, with the advice of his physicians and therapists, chose to undertake in many surgeries and sessions of botox injections to decrease Taylor’s excessive muscle tone. The most important piece of information that I took from this account was Taylor’s feelings about having cerebral palsy. Taylor’s goal in life is to be able to walk without the aide of a walker or wheelchair. This shows that some children with cerebral palsy strive to be independent. Furthermore, Taylor’s account had examples of some of the developmental issues such as delays in physical growth and lack of social interaction. Although Taylor attends a public school, he often misses days or weeks at a time for surgery and as a result has must attend summer school. He does have friends, but they do not fully understand the seriousness of his disability. In one instance, a friend jumped on Taylor after he had had surgery and broke his leg. Taylor’s account brought to my awareness what living with cerebral palsy entails both emotionally and physically.
Traditional and alternative therapies for children with cerebral palsy. Retrieved October
13, 2003, from http://arizona_cpinfoshare.tripod.com/therapies1.html
Although this website centers on treatment options for children with cerebral palsy, it also contains information on the delays in cognitive development often due to mental retardation or learning disability. This website specifies what areas of cognitive development are typically impaired such as reasoning ability, reading comprehension, and organizational skills.
