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Is Cerebral Palsy Progressive With Age?

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a relatively nonfatal neurological disorder that affects body movement and muscle coordination. The disability has no cure. Neurological damage does not get worse with age, but CP does have long-term effects (see Reference 2).

  1. Cause

    • The physical problems created by CP are caused by brain damage. The brain damage does not get worse over time (see Reference 1).

    Life Expectancy

    • Cerebral palsy is typically nonfatal. There are cases in which complications from CP can lead to death, but the majority of the CP population will live into adulthood (see Reference 2).

    Treatment

    • Since there is no cure for CP, lifelong treatment is necessary. Treatment may range from physical and speech therapy to Botox injections to medications that control muscle spasms.

    Long-Term Effects

    • Those with CP are likely to fatigue more easily than the average person. The CP population is also more vulnerable to faster-aging organs (see Reference 2).

    Aging Organs

    • The aging of organs is a common complication. Organs age faster because in a CP patient they work harder in simple tasks like walking (see Reference 2).

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