ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the clinical features of the condition and their social consequences. The accounts of these children’s lives are derived from interviews with their parents and from non-participant observations. In reality, however, cognitive damage may be a feature of cerebral palsy and the extent of this damage varies along a continuum from severe to mild, as does the physical damage. Sullivan attributes growth failure, weak muscles, possibly worsening of the existing neurological impairment to undernourishment. Attitudes derived from religion and culture strongly influenced decisions about family size. Grief reactions and intensive implementation of demanding therapeutic programmes compound the problem. It is probable that relationships between siblings may become more obviously difficult as children grow up. The problem is compounded by the fact that many of these children have poor or no verbal abilities to inform others, and their physical impairments prevent them from moving away from potentially dangerous situations.
