ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses what parents do when their child is diagnosed as having cerebral palsy; what choices they make based on their understanding of the medical assessment; what treatments, social services and educational facilities are available for them to use, through the mixed economy of welfare. It examines the meaning of cerebral palsy as a clinical condition; the nature of the syndrome; its causes, types and consequent impairments and disabilities; the range of treatments and corrective interventions available. The Spastics Society of India has published a range of medically based pamphlets and promotional videos to increase understanding of this condition as a precursor to discussing rehabilitative interventions. Some of these are written and printed by people who have cerebral palsy. Children with cerebral palsy have sustained irreversible brain damage and their condition is usually diagnosed either at birth or within the first eighteen months of life.
