Patient and Family Education

We want you to have all the information you and your child need to understand cerebral palsy and to get the care your child needs. This page provides links to helpful resources that were created or chosen by Seattle Children’s.

Resources at Seattle Children’s

• How to prepare for your visit
• Transportation and places to stay
• Hospital services
• Paying for care
• Social Work
• Interpreter Services

Condition-Specific Resources 

• Cerebral Palsy (CP) Classifying Your Child’s CP (PDF) (Spanish)
• Cerebral Palsy (CP) Diagnosis and First Steps (PDF) (Spanish)
• Cerebral Palsy (CP) Movement Disorders (PDF) (Spanish)
• Cerebral Palsy (CP) Resources (PDF) (Spanish)
• Cerebral Palsy Topography: How CP Affects the Body (PDF) (Spanish)
• Developmental Follow-up After a NICU Stay (PDF) (Spanish)
• General Movement Assessments (PDF) (Spanish)
• Gross Motor Function Classification System Level 1 (PDF) (Spanish)
• Gross Motor Function Classification System Level 2 (PDF) (Spanish)
• Gross Motor Function Classification System Level 3 (PDF) (Spanish)
• Gross Motor Function Classification System Level 4 (PDF) (Spanish)
• Gross Motor Function Classification System Level 5 (PDF) (Spanish)
• The Cerebral Palsy Program at Seattle Children's An Introduction (PDF) (Arabic, Chinese, Marshallese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian)

Contact our Cerebral Palsy Program to learn more about cerebral palsy.

Medical and Therapeutic Treatment-Specific Resources

• Ankle-Foot Orthosis/Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis (PDF) (Spanish)
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (PDF) (Spanish)
• Botox Injections for Tight Muscles (PDF) (Spanish)
• Clinical Feeding and Swallowing Evaluation (PDF) (Spanish)
• Constraint Induced Therapy Program (PDF) (Spanish)
• Feeding and Swallowing Therapy (PDF) (Spanish)
• Frequent Questions About Alternative and Augmentative Communication (PDF) (Spanish)
• How to Use a Hoyer Lift (PDF) (Spanish) (Vietnamese)
• Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapy: What to Expect (PDF) (Spanish)
• Phenol Injections for Tight Muscles (PDF) (Spanish)
• Resources for Wheelchairs and Medical Equipment (PDF)
• Serial Casting (PDF) Spanish

Surgical Treatment: Specific Resources

• Care After Lower Extremity Orthopedic Surgery (PDF) (Russian) (Spanish) (Vietnamese)
• Care After Multi-Level Surgery (SEMLS) (PDF) (Arabic) (Chinese) (Russian) (Spanish)
• Intrathecal Baclofen (ITB) Pump Implant (PDF)
• Intrathecal Baclofen (ITB) Test Dose (PDF) (Spanish)
• Physical Therapy After Multi-Level Surgery (PDF) (Spanish)
• Preparing for Multi-Level Surgery (SEMLS) (PDF) (Arabic) (Chinese) (Russian) (Spanish)
• Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR): Surgery to help your child walk (reduce spasticity) (PDF) (Simplilfed Chinese) (Spanish)
• Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy for Comfort and Care (PDF) (Simplified Chinese) (Spanish)

Support Groups and Classes 

• CP Caregiver Support Group: Our Cerebral Palsy Caregiver Support Group (PDF) allows parents and caregivers to connect once a month with others who care for children with CP.
• Parent Support Program: Our Parent Support Program(PDF) (Spanish) connects you with another parent or caregiver who has had similar experiences caring for children with special health needs. Most connections are over the phone and provide emotional and nonjudgmental support, a sense of community and practical information and community resources.
• Sibshops: Seattle Children's Sibshops are fun and recreational workshops designed to provide support and guidance for siblings of children with special medical or developmental needs.
• Support Groups at Seattle Children’s
• Adaptive Sports and Recreation (PDF)
• Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development Seattle Children’s
• Parent to Parent Support Programs (Spanish) The Arc: Washington State

General Cerebral Palsy Resources

• All Access Life Links to products, apps, resources and videos for people with disabilities
• Americans with Disabilities Act U.S. Department of Labor 
• Cerebral Palsy Alliance
• Cerebral Palsy Research Network Now merged with CP Daily Living, CPNOW and MyCP
  • Cerebral Palsy Research Network Book & Video Recommendations
• Children’s Hemiplegia and Stroke Association (CHASA)
• CP Foundation
• Disability Rights Section U.S. Department of Justice 
• Early Childhood Special Education Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Early Support for Infants & Toddlers Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families
• Impact Collaboratory: Igniting Mobility, Play, and Access for Children with Technology University of Washington
• International Alliance for Pediatric Stroke
• Open Doors for Multicultural Families (multiple languages)
• Partnerships for Action, Voices for Empowerment (PAVE)
• Special Education Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Special Olympics Washington
• Specialized Programs for People with Disabilities Seattle Parks and Recreation Seattle Parks and Recreation
• State of the Evidence Traffic Lights 2019: Systematic Review of Interventions for Preventing and Treating Children with Cerebral Palsy Novak
• Steele Lab: Engineering to Enhance Human Mobility University of Washington
• Technology for Independence Washington Assistive Technology Act Program 
• United Cerebral Palsy
• Washington Mental Health Referral Service for Children and Teens
• World Cerebral Palsy Day: October 6

Contact Us

Contact the Cerebral Palsy Program at 206-987-0199 with questions or for more information. If your child has a diagnosis of CP and you would like to be enrolled in the program, please have your child’s medical provider send a referral to the Cerebral Palsy Program at Seattle Children’s. Please ensure your provider specifically states in the referral that it is for the Cerebral Palsy Program.

Providers, see how to refer a patient.

To add or update a resource, please email: cerebralpalsy@seattlechildrens.org.

Disclaimer: If you have questions about links on this page, see our statement about linking from seattlechildrens.org.