Cerebral palsy is a disorder of movement or coordination caused by an abnormality of the brain.
In many instances, the cause of the brain abnormality is unknown. Depending on the severity of their disability, people with cerebral palsy may need specialized medical care, educational and social services, and other help throughout their lives from both their families and communities. Half of these costs are borne by families, who often find it difficult to obtain all the services they need to help their children. The purpose of the present effort is to assess the mortality experience and causes of death within the case group from age 10 to age 20 and to characterize the status of the survivors with respect to current health status, living arrangements, socialization, employment, quality of life, service utilization, and independence. Depending on the severity of impairment, many people with cerebral palsy may require special medical care, educational and social services, and lifelong assistance from their family and community.