Importance of Psychological Rehabilitation Implementations for Children with Cerebral Palsy

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Cerebral palsy is a congenital anomaly caused due to injury to the developing brain or abnormal development most often before birth or in infancy. Individuals living with cerebral palsy usually have multiple neurological and musculoskeletal abnormalities causing hindrance in posture, motor movements, sensory abilities, perception, cognition, communication, behavioural problems, etc. It is usually accompanied by related conditions such as intellectual disability, contractures, spinal deformities and osteoarthritis, impairment in speech and vision, seizure disorders, and so on.


Though currently there isn’t any cure for cerebral palsy, rehabilitation measures can help patients of cerebral palsy improve their capabilities and manage the neurological, orthopedic and medical problems being faced by the individual. Since the severity of cerebral palsy differs between individuals, there isn’t any standard treatment that works for all. Hence, a multidisciplinary rehabilitation approach in accordance with the individual is essential. 


The most essential therapies part of cerebral palsy rehabilitation are -

  • Physical therapy is the most fundamental part of cerebral palsy rehabilitation. It helps improve motor skills, mobility and prevents movement problems from worsening over time. A combination of exercises such as stretching, strength training can help with balance and prevent contractures. 

  • Occupational therapy is focused on helping individuals with everyday routine activities, such as - dressing, eating, etc. It focuses on helping the children improve their posture, optimize upper body function, adapt to daily routine and use assistive devices.

  • Speech therapy is crucial for children with cerebral palsy. It helps the child communicate by improving speech articulation and language comprehension or using alternative methods like sign language or special communication devices such as computers with a voice synthesizer. Speech therapists also work on helping address swallowing disorders such as dysphagia.

  • Recreation therapy can help individuals expand their cognitive skills along with helping the child improve their speech and self-esteem through participation in programs and events.


While physical aspects of cerebral palsy are widely recognised, sometimes its psychological impact might go unnoticed. While recreational therapy can help with a child’s emotional well-being, the increased risk of mental health conditions—such as anxiety or depression in those with cerebral palsy—can often go unnoticed. The sustaining impairment caused to the developing brain, can hinder the child’s ability to deal with stress and change. Making it more difficult for them to adapt to such events and circumstances. Recognising these challenges is essential for both the individual and their family.


In a research conducted in 2017, a systematic review was undertaken to describe the prevalence of mental health conditions and problems in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy. Through this study, it was found that children with cerebral palsy are more prone to feelings of stress and elevated levels of emotional, social, and behavioral difficulties which are suggestive of mental health problems due to the physical and cognitive defects being faced by them in everyday life. Children with cerebral palsy may experience a variety of physical, emotional, and environmental stressors, sometimes resulting in a mental health problem or diagnosis. This study concluded that the prevalence of mental health symptoms in children with cerebral palsy is high, and a more comprehensive investigation of mental health and implementation of appropriate management strategies to build and enhance capacity for everyday functioning and quality of life is necessary.


When talking about the psychological rehabilitation programs for cerebral palsy patients, it is important to take into consideration their individual physical, cognitive and behavioral traits. An individual’s intellectual capability and neurological defects may help identify the suitable rehabilitation measure for them. These measures are necessary to cater to the individual’s needs and help improve their overall well-being. It is also important to recognise the family’s role in the child’s socio-cultural development. Different parenting methods, upbringing, and household environment contribute to the child’s personality development. Psycho-social therapy can also help the family cope with the child’s disability, which in turn positively contributes to the child's environment.

There was another study conducted in 2015 to evaluate the effectiveness of psycho-rehabilitation on improving the quality of life of 4-12 year old children with cerebral palsy. It was found that psychological rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy improves their quality of life, and that this difference was persistent in the follow-up phase. 


Hence, psychological rehabilitation should be made an integral part of cerebral palsy treatment plans. Early and thorough diagnosis of mental conditions, and adequate and timely conduction of correctional measures, would help prevent development of negative thought patterns and psychological disorders. Improving rehabilitation measures would even help the child successfully and effectively adapt and integrate to social settings. Psycho-rehabilitation can help the child and the family accept the disability and help them deal with the anxiety and depression often accompanied with it due to the stress. It can motivate them to work and live with cerebral palsy without feelings of isolation or inferiority and overall help improve the mental health, as well as the quality of life for the child and the family.



About the author

Meet Disha, a psychology student with more knowledge about tv shows than her academic syllabus. She is the go to person for recommendations for anything from movies and series to songs and books. From making graphic designs to doing theatre she is a true artist (procrastinator) at heart. You can text her at any time and expect to be left on seen until 3 in the morning.



References - 

  • Downs, J., Blackmore, A. M., Epstein, A., Skoss, R., Langdon, K., Jacoby, P., Whitehouse, A. J. O., Leonard, H., Rowe, P. W., Glasson, E. J., & Cerebral Palsy Mental Health Group (2018). The prevalence of mental health disorders and symptoms in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Developmental medicine and child neurology, 60(1), 30–38. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.13555

  • Whitney, D. G., Warschausky, S. A., & Peterson, M. D. (2019). Mental health disorders and physical risk factors in children with cerebral palsy: a cross-sectional study. Developmental medicine and child neurology, 61(5), 579–585. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.14083

  • Poursadoughi, A., Dadkhah, A., Pourmohamadreza-Tajrishi, M., & Biglarian, A. (2015). Psycho-Rehabilitation Method (Dohsa-hou) and Quality of Life in Children with Cerebral Palsy. Iranian Rehabilitation Journal, 24, 28-33. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Psycho-Rehabilitation-Method-(Dohsa-hou)-and-of-in-Poursadoughi-Dadkhah/b41e5e4744c6e91a7466af484b1b4111e30fa15d

  • Cerebral Palsy Guide - Your Guide to Cerebral Palsy. (2014). Cerebral Palsy Guide. https://www.cerebralpalsyguide.com/

  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2023). Cerebral Palsy. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/cerebral-palsy

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