By: MARTHA SHELDON, M.S.W.
About seventy-five percent of persons with cerebral palsy will have some type of speech impairment. The impairment can range from a very mild "a cerebral palsied accent to a person who cannot verbally communicate. Although persons with cp may have difficulties in speaking, each individual has thoughts, feelings, and ideas they want and communicate. The followings are ways to facility the process.
Do not assume the person is retarded if they are nonverbal or a "cp accent."
-Many persons with cerebral palsy who are nonverbal have their own way to communicate their needs.
-Augmented Communication is a common way. It could be a very complex device such as a computer, or a very simple "word board."
-Some people with cp use sign language, their eyes, or a combination of ways to communicate.
-People with a cp accent will have a difficult if not impossible time making their needs known.
When a cp is upset, it is hard for them to calm themselves down; to tell the person not to cry is useless. Instead get their attention, gently tell the person open their eyes, have them look at you, and if possible focuses on something else like how beautiful their eyes are. Then after the person is focus on you ask the most important questions. This may have to be repeated often, since spasms are occurring with the muscles needed to cry.
If possible use yes and no questions; if the person is able to write having them write the answer. Use whatever, eyes, fingers, hands, feet, toes, to communicate with. Be creative. It is possible to communicate with most individuals with cerebral palsy who are profoundly disabled. If possible try to find the best way to communicate with the individual. Not through a second person because the person with cerebral palsy knows the best what happened, what is going on at this time, knows their body and how cp effects it.