Students with cerebral palsy may require additional time to move between classes and complete activities and homework. It is important to ensure that the classroom is easy to navigate and free of obstacles. These students may also need to miss class for doctor's appointments or to take medication from the school nurse. All children have the right to free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, including those with cerebral palsy.
Children with disabilities may need aids and services to reach their full potential. Parents are encouraged to research and meet with educators from both public and private sectors to decide on the most suitable educational path for their children. Learning at home can be beneficial for all children, especially those with cerebral palsy who have cognitive disabilities. Homeschooling and special education can help give them the boost they need.
The sooner learning interventions are implemented, the greater the positive effect they will have. Parents should start thinking about strategies they can use at home to help their child learn. Children with severe physical disabilities may have difficulty concentrating, communicating, and participating in traditional learning exercises. For example, some may experience pain due to stiff muscles in the arms or legs.
This pain can increase unpredictably throughout the day, which can understandably distract the child and make it difficult to complete the lesson. To ensure that every child is included, teachers should use a variety of methods when delivering content and instruction. Variety is especially important for a child with cerebral palsy, who may struggle in ways that other children don't. Direct instruction, small group discussions, hands-on experimentation, quiet reading, videos and computer learning are all great strategies to use.
Public schools are the largest provider of general and special education services and offer a multitude of benefits for children with all types of cerebral palsy. Some children who are diagnosed with cerebral palsy also experience some type of mental disability in addition to cerebral palsy. The initial goal is to help them acclimate to the learning environment before their healthy peers in order to prepare them for the classroom and devise ways to meet their special needs. An occupational therapist can help people affected by cerebral palsy of all ages and abilities live fuller and more independent lives. Any child with a disability should have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) created by a team of professionals through their school's special education department.
For those with severe forms of cerebral palsy, this plan offers personalized instruction specializing in topics such as speech and language, mathematics and reading. Caring for a disabled child can be a big burden on a family, but with good planning, routines, medical care, resources, and support, a family can provide a great life for a child with cerebral palsy. An important reason to enroll a child with cerebral palsy in a private school would be that students can receive religious instruction along with basic studies. Cord blood banks make it possible to preserve precious stem cells that can save lives and continue research to cure diseases such as birth injuries such as HIE and cerebral palsy. A notable disadvantage of choosing a public school for a child with cerebral palsy is the unreliability of services available in all school districts. A child with cerebral palsy would be accompanied by a teacher's assistant or counselor rather than being taken out of the classroom and excluded from the group. Advocates say that homeschooling allows you to create a plan that addresses the child's individual needs such as attention span, treatment regimen, sleep patterns and other specialized care. The goal of special education is to provide children with special needs access to conventional learning as well as life skills that help them develop a sense of achievement as well as self-reliance.
