Associated Conditions of Cerebral Palsy: Depression
Depression
No two individuals with Cerebral Palsy are exactly alike. Each of their brains has been affected in its own way. The challenges they (and their caregivers) face on a day-to-day basis will vary considerably based on the level of involvement and impairments they have. They can range from being an child that has such mild involvement that one might only be aware of their impairment to an individual with spastic quadriplegia who needs continual care and assistance for even the most basic of needs. But at the same time all these individuals have the same emotions as the rest of us.

If a child’s impairments are not so severe that they need educational assistance and are going to a regular classroom, the other children in the classroom need to apprized of and educated about the child’s condition. Anyone who has ever been a child knows that school age children can be cruel and can be very quick to ostracize someone who they perceive as different. If they come to understand better from the child’s point of view, their actions are less likely to cause distress.

In any setting, conditions such as incontinence and drooling can cause embarrassment and feeling of inadequacy.

The sense of being different; frustrations over having poor control over one’s body; being unable to communicate your thoughts and needs; having sexual urges just like others your age, but without the opportunity to act on those desires; being unable to feed oneself; these are but a few of the situations which an individual with Cerebral Palsy might face.

It is important that a child with any debilitating condition develop a healthy attitude towards themselves. To this end, it is important that the child have access to a counselor (someone other than a parent or primary care giver) so that they can speak freely about what's troubling them and get the guidance and emotional tools they need to achieve and maintain a healthy self-image.

It is therefore not at all uncommon for individuals with Cerebral Palsy to experience depression.

The following are possible signs of depression. For those with CP some of these signs are more difficult to detect.

• Change in personality, such as increased anger, irritability, moodiness, or whining;

• Change in appetite, usually a loss of appetite;

• Change in sleep patterns, such as difficulty failing asleep, staying asleep, or excessive sleeping;

• Loss of energy, or lethargy;

• Loss of interest in: friends, play, activities, and sports. Or an absence of pleasure derived from relationships;

• Low self-esteem, frequently expressed through self-deprecating and negative talk;

• Indecisiveness;

• Difficulty with concentration (not to be confused with attention deficit disorder);

• Feelings of helplessness occasionally expressed through suicidal talk.

Any child or young adult can suffer depression, but the extra difficulties that a child with cerebral palsy faces can increase their likelihood of developing depression.

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Associated Conditions of Cerebral Palsy: Hearing, Depression, Breathing Problems,
Drooling, ADHD, ADD, Bowel issues, Swallowing, Epilepsy, Speech Problems.