What it’s like growing up with cerebral palsy (CP)
Learn how we can help keep you moving.
Lot’s of things are changing. Including how you move!
Your teen years are a time of constant change. Your body, to your interests and what’s important to you. You’re experiencing new feelings, looking for new kinds of friends, and starting a new part of your life. But that can be tough when you have Cerebral Palsy (CP). CP can have a big impact on every part of your body, and especially on your mobility (how your body moves). Being able to move freely is more important than ever when you want to go to new places, try new hobbies, and do lots more on your own. If you’re a teen with CP, this page can help. You’ll learn about what to expect at your age, and get some advice and inspiration from a real expert in what you’re experiencing.
Find out what to expect - from a teen just like you!
Grownups and doctors have a lot of the answers you need when you have CP. But while they want what’s best for you, sometimes it just helps to hear it from someone your age. Someone who’s going through the same experiences and changes as you. So to share what it’s like being a teen with CP, we asked a real expert: a teen with CP. Let’s meet her!
Meet Moya-May!
Moya-May is 14 years old and she’s from Dublin, Ireland. She loves music, musical theatre, and writing poetry. But most of all she loves making people laugh.
Like a lot of kids with CP, her condition has a big impact on the way her body moves. Let’s meet her and find out more!
How to take on life’s new challenges with CP.
Moya-May has a real passion for helping others with disabilities like her. She loves to share what she’s learned about growing up with CP, so we asked her for some real-life advice in this special video series. Keep scrolling to watch them all!
Being a teen with CP: Learning as you grow
Being a teen can be tough for anyone. But it’s even more challenging when you’re living with a disability like CP. You want to do more on your own. And you want to feel accepted as you are. In this video, Moya-May talks about how important that is for her too. CP doesn’t have to make you feel different, she says. It’s okay to be who you are and to share how you’re feeling as your body changes and grows.
What to expect and how to get ready
Everyone’s teen years are different, but there are still a lot of things that just about everyone goes through. Like wanting to know that people love and understand you. Moya-May says that starts with being kind and patient when people ask questions about you and your CP. She loves to share how things are for her. It helps everyone understand, accept, and care for each other.
Building new relationships
Hear Moya-May talk about meeting people and making friends. She feels like most other teens, she should be seen as the individual she is, not just as someone with CP. Just the way it should be!
Hear Moya-May talk about meeting people and making friends. She feels like most other teens, she should be seen as the individual she is, not just as someone with CP. Just the way it should be!
Finding your fun
Moya-May shares some activities that can be great for someone with CP, her favourite ways to stay active, and how to discover what you can do!
Moya-May shares some activities that can be great for someone with CP, her favourite ways to stay active, and how to discover what you can do!
Being different at school
See how Moya-May handles standing out at school, what to do when you feel peer pressure, and how to figure out the best way for you to learn, explore, and grow.
See how Moya-May handles standing out at school, what to do when you feel peer pressure, and how to figure out the best way for you to learn, explore, and grow.
Preparing for body changes
Like most teens with CP, Moya-May says she can’t be sure how her condition will change over time. But she knows her family and friends will be there to support her.
Like most teens with CP, Moya-May says she can’t be sure how her condition will change over time. But she knows her family and friends will be there to support her.
Dealing with ups & downs
Get tips from Moya-May on how she manages all those roller-coaster emotions you might be feeling, how CP can affect them, and where she looks when she needs help.
Get tips from Moya-May on how she manages all those roller-coaster emotions you might be feeling, how CP can affect them, and where she looks when she needs help.
Planning for the future
Moya-May gets into planning for life after high school, and why you shouldn’t let your CP stand in the way of pursuing your dreams and passions.
Moya-May gets into planning for life after high school, and why you shouldn’t let your CP stand in the way of pursuing your dreams and passions.
One more shout-out from Moya-May
Here’s the deal: your teens are tough. You’re going to have so many new feelings and experiences - and you’re going to have them with a condition that comes with a lot of challenges. But take it from Moya-May: you’ve got this!
All it takes is staying positive, focusing on the things you can control, and finding the right support. Believe in yourself, look for tricks and tools that can help you move better, and you’ll be amazed to discover the amazing possibilities in store for you.
Keep reading to learn about a few of the ways Ottobock can help you get there.
Explore some of our NeuroMobility products
We’ve got a passion for providing mobility solutions to support kids with CP. From orthoses, to wheelchairs, to a neuromodulation suit, we’ve got a lot of products that help teens get moving and get the most out of every day.
The Exopulse Mollii Suit
Lots of people with CP have spasticity: tightness or clenching in your muscles that you can’t control. The Exopulse Mollii Suit is a special device designed to relieve that symptom. Wearing it for an hour every other day can help relax muscles throughout your body.
Learn more about how we can help
Product trials available!
Want to know if some of these products might be right for you? Wondering if they can help you move more freely? We’d love to tell you more!
If you are under 16, please ask your parent or guardian to help you send the form below, and our team will get in touch with your family soon.