MARCH IS CEREBRAL PALSY AWARENESS MONTH, AND DOCTORS AT CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA ARE RAISING AWARENESS FOR THE DISABILITY. PATIENTS CAN BE DIAGNOSED AS YOUNG AS THE NICU STAGES, BUT STARTING TREATMENT EARLY CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE. WVTM 13 MYA CALEB REPORTS ON HOW LIKELY IT IS THAT YOU MAY KNOW SOMEONE WITH CEREBRAL PALSY, AND WHAT THE REALITIES OF LIVING WITH IT LOOKS LIKE. CEREBRAL PALSY IS THE MOST COMMON MOTOR DISABILITY IN CHILDREN AND LIFELONG DISABILITY IN ADULTS. ACCORDING TO THE CDC, ONE IN EVERY 345 CHILDREN IN THE U.S. HAS CEREBRAL PALSY. BUT FOR ME, IT’S IT’S ALSO PERSONAL. IT’S SOMETHING THAT I EXPERIENCE AS AN INDIVIDUAL LIVING WITH CEREBRAL PALSY. SO I WAS INTRODUCED TO THIS WORLD VERY EARLY. DOCTOR CYNTHIA WOSO HAS SPENT HER LIFE NAVIGATING THE WORLD WITH CEREBRAL PALSY. SHE NOW HELPS CEREBRAL PALSY PATIENTS AT CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA DO THE SAME. IF YOU MEET ME, IT’S BECAUSE SOMETHING CHANGED IN YOUR WORLD THAT YOU DIDN’T EXPECT. AND SO IT’S MY JOB TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO DO. SO. ADVOCATING FOR THOSE THINGS SUCH AS ACCESSIBILITY WITHIN THEIR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR THEIR EDUCATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO COMMONLY. OR AS MY KIDS TRANSITION TRANSITION OFF INTO COLLEGE. MAKING SURE THAT THAT ENVIRONMENT CONTINUES TO BE ACCESSIBLE BECAUSE OF HER DIAGNOSIS. WOSO PROVIDES A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT LIVING WITH CP IS LIKE AND USES HER EXPERIENCE TO CONNECT WITH HER PATIENTS. A LOT OF MY PATIENTS HAVE DIFFERENT ISSUES RELATED TO THE INJURY THAT THEY HAD DURING THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF LIFE, INCLUDING MUSCLE TIGHTNESS OR HYPERTONICITY, AND BECAUSE OF THE TIGHTNESS OF THEIR MUSCLES, THEY CAN HAVE DIFFERENT EFFECTS. SHE’S ALSO SEEN HOW ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE, SUCH AS MEDICINE, REHAB AND SURGERY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SO THAT INCLUDES LOSS OF RANGE OF MOTION, PAIN AND CHANGES IN THEIR BONE STRUCTURE. ACTUALLY, FROM THE TIGHTNESS, PULLING. AND SO BY INTERVENING WITH THESE THERAPIES AND THESE MEDICATIONS EARLY, WE CAN DECREASE THE COMPLICATIONS AND DECREASE THE PAIN. WOSO ALSO HOPING TO FIGHT STIGMAS ABOUT THE DISABILITY. MOST OF US KNOW SOMEONE WITH CEREBRAL PALSY, WHETHER WE REALIZE IT OR NOT, BECAUSE SO MANY INDIVIDUALS FUNCTION THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS PROFESSIONALS AND ARE DOING WHAT THEY LOVE. BUT IT’S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE THIS DIAGNOSIS BECAUSE THE WAY WE ABOUT DISABILITIES LIKE CEREBRAL PALSY SHAPES THE WAY INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE VIEWED. DISCRIMINATION AND LACK OF ACCESSIBILITY IN PUBLIC SPACES ARE BARRIERS THAT THOSE DIAGNOSED WITH CEREBRAL PALSY CONTINUE TO FACE. BUT IMPROVEMENTS IN HEALTH CARE IN HER LIFETIME GIVES WOSO HOPE THAT LIFE CAN GET BETTER FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY. CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH UAB TO MAKE THE TRANSITION INTO ADULT CP THERAPY SMOOTHER. ONCE THOSE KIDS AGE OUT OF THEIR SYSTEM, NEXT TUESDAY WILL BE NATIONAL CEREBRAL PALSY AWARENESS DAY IN BIRMINGHAM. MYA CALEB. WVTM 13. WELL, CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA SEES PATIENTS FROM ALL OVER ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI AND THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE. MOST OF THESE PATIENTS COME FROM RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIE