The aim is to describe the development of hand function in young adults with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP), who participated in a 2-week Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) camp 6 years earlier. Eleven participants, 16-21 years at follow-up, were assessed at three occasions during 2005 and once in 2011. At the 6-year follow-up, performance…

In this article, the author talks about functional electrical stimulation in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is defined as the electrical stimulation of muscles that have impaired motor control, in order to produce a contraction to obtain functionally useful movement. It was first proposed in…

This commentary is informed by the author's multiple perspectives as a parent of a 12-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, as a social worker, and as a critical disability advocate and activist. While the author occupies these subject positions simultaneously, they are not necessarily always confluent with one another. She struggles with, and is, at…

A psychotherapist with cerebral palsy recounts her own experience and the need of disabled persons to view their sexuality with openness and acceptance, develop a desirable body image, and reject the mystique of the idealized vision of sexuality. (DB)

An interview with parents of a child with cerebral palsy recount their struggles to find a diagnosis and treatment for their daughter and express their anger over the lack of information and help they were given by professionals. They emphasize the need for honesty and straightforwardness in professionals dealing with parents. (CL)

A cerebral palsied adult recounts his own healthy education into sexuality by his parents and offers parents suggestions, such as making a candid assessment of their own feelings and ideas regarding sexuality. Parents are encouraged to be informative, realistic, open, and affirmative with all children, whether disabled or not. (DB)

Norman Kunc, consultant on educational and disability issues, discusses his early segregated education and perceived devaluation due to his cerebral palsy; the intrusion of therapies into his daily schedule; and the sometimes assaultive nature of physical therapy. Kunc views his disability as a characteristic of his personal diversity and…

Describes a creative approach to including Nora, a student with cerebral palsy, in an outdoor adventure--a hilly, seven-mile trek through Eastern Oregon's Ponderosa pine forests. With teachers' and classmates' help, Nora practiced on a simulated horse and saddle, overcame her fear of heights, and eagerly joined classmates on horseback. (MLH)

Comments on a study that reported the positive effects of a neurobehavioral intervention approach on motor skills of young children with cerebral palsy. Concludes that, in its current form, the neurobehavioral approach is only an initial step toward developing new methods for addressing challenging developmental concerns. (CR)

Parents describe how the Disabled Students' Program at the University of California-Berkeley supported their daughter with cerebral palsy in pursuing an independent college career. Two vignettes describing college students' (with muscular dystrophy and physical disabilities) adjustment at Boston University are presented. (CB)

This response to Parette et al. concerning the use of degree of involvement (DOI) in determining appropriate related services for individuals with cerebral palsy and other disabilities proposes a standard for using limited resources judiciously based on the principle of "only as special as necessary." (DB)

Comments on a study that reported positive effects of a neurobehavioral-intervention approach on motor skills of young children with cerebral palsy. Discusses problems associated with contrived research situations and urges researchers and practitioners to join together to design and investigate the effects of new interventions. (CR)

This booklet presents excerpts from interviews with siblings (ages 10-28) of persons with a range of handicaps, including Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, deafness, autism, seizure disorder, genetic disorders, and mental retardation. It is arranged in order from the youngest person interviewed and continues through…

Maintains that parents of a handicapped child, for example, a child with cerebral palsy, are "walking a tightrope." Successful intervention with the disabled child in the classroom is possible only when there is strong teacher-parent communication. This position is illustrated by an account of a parent's personal experience. (BB)