One of the questions that many parents have when they find out their child has cerebral palsy is, “How long will my child live?”

The quick and easy answer is that with the right care, your child has as good a chance as living a long life as a child without cerebral palsy. Unless your child develops additional complications from cerebral palsy that result in a shortened lifespan, cerebral palsy in and of itself does not usually cause a life to be shortened.

However, children with cerebral palsy do require special care, and without this care their health can be compromised. In addition to ensuring that your child gets all of the vitamins and nutrients he needs to remain in optimal health, it’s also important that your child receive the physical therapy that he needs. Physical therapy will not only ensure that your child retains as much function as possible, it will also have a positive effect on the health of his heart and other organs. While children with normal motor function naturally get enough exercise to keep their bodies in maximum health, parents of children with cerebral palsy will have to take special steps to ensure that their child’s physical exercise needs are met.