Hi, my name is katandy18! I support my brother who has Cerebral Palsy

katandy18

Hi all, I support my brother who has Cerebral Palsy. He's now in his early 60s and after years of rather robust health, is experiencing some physical deterioration plus other health issues and I feel it would be useful to touch base with people who might be having similar experiences. 

Hannah_Alumni

Hello @katandy18

Welcome to the community! I have popped your post into our Cerebral Palsy section of the forum. So other members can share their experiences. 

I didn't know if you knew, Scope has its own CP Network, where people with a lived experience of Cerebral Palsy get together to talk and support each other. I would encourage you to have a look. Can I ask, how are you keeping?  

Richard_Scope

Hi @katandy18

Thanks for your post.

Your brother is most certainly not alone in this. 

 Ageing with CP is a new challenge for sure. I have quadriplegic CP and use a wheelchair and since I hit 40, I have felt the changes in my mobility and energy levels. 

 
We CP folk use up a lot more energy than non-CP people, up to 5 times more because of the way we move or walk etc, this can lead to fatigue. 
 
Whilst the neurological aspect of CP doesn't change, the physical aspect certainly does. There is also something called Post-Impairment Syndrome that is related to CP this refers to additional conditions that might be acquired by someone already living with CP. Here is an excellent blog post about it: 
What Post-Impairment Syndrome Means to Me 

I would advise you to book an appointment with your GP (telephone appointments will work too) and talk to them about your tiredness because it may not be your CP and it's important to be healthy in all aspects of our lives. You can also talk about how your CP has changed. And ask for a referral to a neurologist or neuro-physiotherapist. You can mention the CP Care Pathway which instructs G.P.s how and when to refer.