Wednesday, October 7, 2015

World Cerebral Palsy Day 2015: Why I like to see people with CP


Over the weekend, Sabrina and I stopped by a local bookstore. The woman at the register looked to have cerebral palsy, and I was psyched to see her there—it's not so common to come upon people with CP or other disabilities at stores in our area, excluding a CVS.

Today is World Cerebral Palsy Day. When you have a kid with CP, you become very aware of other people who have it, who are in college and the work world, and who lead independent lives. They give me hope for Max's future. I think it's also very good for Max to see people like him. The rate of unemployment for people with disabilities is 12.5 percent, per the latest figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Thats more than double the general rate of unemployment in the U.S., which is 5.1 percent.

There are an estimated 764,000 children and adults with cerebral palsy in America, per United Cerebral Palsy, and 17 million people with CP worldwide. Check out this video from the people behind World Cerebral Palsy Day 2015, along with words of wisdom from parents on what having a child with cerebral palsy has taught them.



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15 comments:

  1. UnknownOctober 7, 2015 at 7:07 AM

    Does Max like seeing other people with CP? I like seeing younger people(non senior citizens) with hearing aids. Makes me feel less alone.

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    1. Ellen SeidmanOctober 7, 2015 at 10:36 AM

      I have to point out to him afterward that the person has CP, and he doesn't seem to care that much yet. He's still figuring out what it means to have CP.

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    2. UnknownOctober 7, 2015 at 2:57 PM

      I do remember when he thought Lightning McQueen had CP though.

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  2. AnonymousOctober 7, 2015 at 9:42 AM

    Good for you Ellen. Many parents of a kid with a disability have given me, a person with CP, nothing but crap for being independent.

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    1. Ellen SeidmanOctober 7, 2015 at 10:37 AM

      What?! I'm really surprised to hear that. Why would ANYONE give you crap for independence?

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    2. LaurenOctober 9, 2015 at 5:58 PM

      I am afraid to say that that is more common than you think Ellen. I am respected by my colleagues and people who know me well, though not be acquaintances or people who think they know me.

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  3. UnknownOctober 7, 2015 at 10:00 AM

    If only I could say the same about meeting another autistic person. So many of us fly under the radar....

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  4. AnonymousOctober 7, 2015 at 10:38 AM

    I'm a young adult with mild CP, and I feel the same way. Meeting others who are affected similarly makes me feel less alone. There's an immediate sense of connection with whomever I meet, and we are able to speak freely and openly about CP without fear of judgement. Unfortunately, I rarely meet others who have the same type of CP I do, but when I do, it's incredibly uplifting.

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  5. kevinOctober 7, 2015 at 11:03 AM

    Thanks for the post Ellen -- you're my go-to source for timely info. I sent the video to my son's teacher, and they're showing it in class today.

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  6. DebOctober 7, 2015 at 11:51 AM

    I used to work for a hospital where there worked a very well-respected doctor with CP. The only sad thing is that he was very reluctant to talk about it. I think there was a huge opportunity there to inspire others who have cerebral palsy, but I probably shouldn't judge.

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    1. AnonymousOctober 8, 2015 at 12:34 AM

      I understand where both you and the doctor are coming from. It's great to turn cerebral palsy into an opportunity to educate and inspire. With that said, some people don't want that role all the time, and they just want to be viewed as people who live normal lives and happen to have CP. Personally speaking, I'm fairly quiet about my CP because I want to have an identity outside of the condition. I'm a psychology major, a friend, and an empathetic person before I'm a person with CP. Maybe this doctor feels he'll be viewed as more respected and competent in his profession if people see him as a doctor first.

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    2. DebOctober 8, 2015 at 5:39 AM

      Good points. That makes a lot of sense...

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  7. Max .SOctober 7, 2015 at 1:36 PM

    There is boy in my grade who has CP who is in the LC next door to mine and he is in my intergrated specialized services (ISS) program. Plus his name happens to be Max!! I always like to see other kids and teenagers with disabilities.

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  8. Katelynn leeJune 29, 2016 at 1:22 AM

    I have CP like your son. I'm 18 years old and I've had it since birth. It affects me from the neck down on my right side. My arm draws up as well i use a motorized wheelchair to get around sometimes bc i have trouble walking around all day and since my arm doesn't move I can't push a manual one. I have trouble speaking clearly it comes out really slurred but I don't know if it's caused by CP or not.

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Thanks for sharing!