What I Wish Doctors Would Tell Parents About Cerebral Palsy

Richard_Scope

[Mother looking at toddler/small child]

It seems like the majority of doctors do not have anything positive to say about cerebral palsy when they share a new diagnosis with parents or other loved ones. As I think about this, my mind is just spinning and twirling, wondering:

Why in the heck don’t doctors tell parents about the bright side of their child’s diagnosis? I wish doctors would tell parents the positives, instead of beginning a sentence with the words “your child may never be able to…” However, I wonder if they even know the truth of the journey they and their loved ones are about to take?

I wish the first thing doctors told loved ones concerning their child’s cerebral palsy diagnosis is “your child will bring smiles to everyone around them and touch people’s hearts.”

I wish doctors would tell parents that each journey is unique. Each journey has its good and bad days. The good days when your CP warrior is smiling and happy-go-lucky and doesn’t care about what anybody thinks of them make it all worthwhile.

I wish that doctors would tell parents it will all be OK. You’ve just got to take one day at a time.

I wish doctors would tell parents their child with CP is more than just a statistic.

I wish doctors would tell parents their child can be the voice that changes the world for people with disabilities.

Most of all, I wish doctors understood that we are not just another example in the medical books. We are one-of-a-kind.

Ross_Alumni

Thanks for sharing @Richard_Scope, I really enjoyed reading this. I think it should be important that doctors encourage and empower people, rather than perhaps making them feel anxious and lacking confidence.