Late diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy - is it common to find out in later life?

Hi, Strange as it seems, it is quite common for people to receive a diagnosis as an adult. This does not mean the cerebral palsy has just occurred, just that this is the first time the official diagnosis has been mentioned. Cerebral Palsy is caused by damage to the immature brain so before, during or shortly after birth. The brain matures at around 6 years of age. Obviously most people are diagnosed as children and that is why the information you have read mainly relates to children. However, for a number of people who are now in their 30s, 40s, 50s or older, the first they know about having CP is when they visit their doctor for something and it is mentioned because the diagnosis is on their medical notes. Often parents did not want to accept the label of cerebral palsy or felt that it may adversely affect their children especially with education so a child could grow up just thinking they had a developmental delay or that their arms or legs did not work properly. Getting the medical diagnosis later in life is then quite a shock. So although you have only recently been given this diagnosis, you will always have had a form of cerebral palsy. There is information about cerebral palsy on the Scope website and your neurologist should be able to tell you more.