niece with cerebal palsy - so glad i found this board!

[soozaay]

my sister just found out that her 1-year old daughter has cerebal palsy (sorry if i'm spelling this wrong). we are all going to wdw in november and i'd like to find out more information to make my sister & niece's disney vacation the best that it can be!

i am SO glad i found this thread....wait til i tell her...she will be so excited!!

 

[uncspin]

I don't post here often, but also glad you found the board. My husband has CP - diagnosed at 14 months. His CP is such that he has all the physical "problems" (spastic quadraplegia), but no cognitive disability. As your niece grows and goes to Disney more, this board will be a huge help (at least it has been for me).

 

[soozaay]

I don't post here often, but also glad you found the board. My husband has CP - diagnosed at 14 months. His CP is such that he has all the physical "problems" (spastic quadraplegia), but no cognitive disability. As your niece grows and goes to Disney more, this board will be a huge help (at least it has been for me).

Thank you for responding! She was also diagnosed at 14-months. It's still very overwhelming for everyone right now, but knowing that we have a board like DIS to stay in touch with other special needs families is very helpful. It's also very nice to hear that your husband has gone on to lead a "normal" life...so to speak. Thanks again.

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome
My youngest DD was diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP - so you don't have to type it all out) at 19 months. She is now 24 (time flies!).

Our first trip to WDW was before she had a diagnosis, but it was when I really noticed there were some things 'off' about her. She was very tiny and had done pretty much everything on schedule developmentally (except walking), but just never did it well. When we were at WDW, we rented one of the park rental strollers one day and I saw that she had a tremendously difficult time keeping herself in an upright sitting position. She kept tipping over.
It took until just over 18 months for me to get the doctor to listen, then she was referred to a very nice neurologist who observed her for a bout a minute before coming up with a diagnosis.

We've made at least one trip a year since then (the last 10 years, 2 trips per year).
My advice for the parent of a very small child with CP at WDW is that there are many things you can do. Many attractions are safe for babies, so even if her head control is not good, she can be held on the ride until she gets too big for holding on your lap. Any attraction without a height restriction is probably going to be safe. My DD has some perceptual and attention problems also, which made some of the very stimulating rides like It's a Small World kind of overwhelming for her. I have vivid memories of her on Small World somehow covering both her ears and eyes with her arms, while still managing to suck her thumb and twirl her hair for comfort. SW was not one of her favorites for a long time, but she likes it now.

If you have any specific questions about WDW or about CP in general, or care of a child with a disability, you have come to a good place.

 

[DisneyCruiser83]

I don't post here often, but also glad you found the board. My husband has CP - diagnosed at 14 months. His CP is such that he has all the physical "problems" (spastic quadraplegia), but no cognitive disability. As your niece grows and goes to Disney more, this board will be a huge help (at least it has been for me).

Mine too! He has other issues such as vision problems and sensory sensitivity. Small world.

OP: this board is great, and everyone is so helpful! I am sure you and your sister will get a lot of information here. Welcome!

 

[soozaay]

thank you both so much! gotta love disney and disney people!