Some adults with CP who have an intellectual disability can also experience cognitive impairment.

Cognitive impairment in adults with CP can affect:

• communication
• education and learning
• career and work opportunities
• independent living
• social participation
• mental health.

Like other symptoms of CP, cognitive impairment needs to be managed and reassessed over time. However, research has found a lack of follow-up of cognitive functioning in adulthood, which can make the move from paediatric to adult healthcare challenging.

It recommends assessing verbal skills, non-verbal reasoning, visual-spatial perception and executive functioning (memory, flexible thinking and self-control), at least once in young adulthood and again in the mid-fifties.

If you have concerns about your cognitive abilities, talk to your healthcare team about getting an assessment and updating your care plan.

There are improvements continually being made in treatments and assistive technology. For example, having the most effective type of communication aid is very important for adults with CP who have a speech impairment.

These advances can help improve the cognitive demands of education, work, and meaningful and fulfilling activities, which will change as you age.

Reference: Frontiers in Neurology, Systematic Monitoring of Cognition for Adults With Cerebral Palsy—The Rationale Behind the Development of the CPCog-Adult Follow-Up Protocol, September 2021.