Cerebral palsy symptoms can make it difficult to interact with other people. They can also make it very difficult to perform everyday tasks, cutting down on a child’s independence. One child, profiled in the Orange County Register, has been able to make friends and even meet heroes through sports.
Sports and Independence
The child profiled in the article, Kodey, would be unable to play any sport due to the symptoms of his cerebral palsy. Confined to a wheelchair, he is more or less dependent upon others for many of the things that people do every day for themselves. Kodey, however, started relating to baseball by watching it on television and learning as much as he could about it. Today, according to people in the article, he knows far more about baseball – including very detailed statistics – than most people ever will.
Sports, of course, oftentimes serve as the imputus for people to get together and to get to know one another, and that experience has been no different for Kodey than it would be for any other sports fan. After meeting a group of people who share his fondness for the Angels baseball team, he’s been able to attend games and spend time with a tight group of friends.
Therapy Comes in Many Forms
Most forms of cerebral palsy therapy that people are familiar with are, by and large, physical forms of therapy. Any type of therapy, however, is designed to improve the life of the person going through it. Being able to do something independently; to be recognized as knowledgeable about something and to be treated as an equal are some of the most powerful forms of therapy for anyone, whether or not they have a disability.
Sometimes, people who suffer with significant disabilities find therapy in forms that people may not have expected. Learning about sports or taking up another interest is sometimes the best way for somebody who has difficulty communicating and getting around to reach out to others.
Many people with cerebral palsy end up graduating college and some end up holding advanced degrees. While cerebral palsy oftentimes does include a certain degree of cognitive deficiency, this isn’t always the case. This group of disorders can vary a great deal in terms of the severity of the symptoms between one person and the next, and many people have to find their own way to enjoy the best that life has to offer.