Hi,
I'm surprised that anyone hasn't replied to your post (hmm, not too long ago this board was VERY helpful, lol)
I, too, have mild CP. My cp happened after birth and because I suffered what is known today as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - I started suffocating in the hospital crib but was spotted and saved. I think I suffocated for about 1 minute, or maybe less.
I have tensing issues and that effects things like carrying a tray, lifting a full glass, or even holding a plate with one hand and serving myself at a buffet, for example. My right side is more effected, or "less usable," so to speak. And my speech is a bit slow, and low. I have been passed for being "deaf" as my speech is probably the first "signal" of any disablity. The other stuff I meantioned about are pretty much exacerbated in the presence of others - as I have never really felt comfortable "being watched" and as a result, I tense 1000 percent more than.
Now, as for your questions - this is what I know from my own research.
I think people with CP live a normal life expectancy. Now, as you know, CP ranging from very, very mild (like us) to extremely severe (as in total dependance on others.) The only thing I can think of is this: if tensing is very evident and persistant, it might take a toll on our hearts, so if there is a pathological cause to early deaths with CPers, it might be that "we" might go from heart attacks because of this reason. As far as other less severe issues, I think we might be more prone to sufferring from Arthritis. I'm 33 and I feel joint pain, and have been feeling it for on/off since age 22!! I think that we fall more than others, and we tense, so arthritis is a possibility.
As far as falling: I think this is another "inconvenience." I find myself slightly lossing my balance more than 10 years ago. I have fallen a lot in my life!! But I havent broken anything - it was moreso tripping on things like rugs, losing balance on cracked sidewalks, small inclines on floors etc. So, working on maintaining balance is a must.
As far as growing faster: don't know, that could/is dependant upon the severity of one's CP. Again, tensing of body/face/hands might enhance the aging process - don't know. I, for one, am 33 and look 25
But the fact that most of us w/CP are quite skinny (again, b/c of our tensing we burn more calories), we usually look skinny and skinny people tend too look older as they age?? Just my thoughts, but I'n not a doctore here!
As far as illness: Have you heard of any CPers getting MS, or Muscular Dys? I haven't. Now things like cancer of any sorts, is more due to our genes and heredity, so if that is the case then we, too, can be incline to suffer those illesses like anyone else.
The only thing that has worried me more than anything is the fact that the past 3 years I find myself choking on food. Like not chewing it that well and having some "difficulty" moving the food around and sometimes swallowing it unchewed. Now, the confusing thing is that I never had this problem before, causing me to think that maybe my mouth/tongue weaken? Have you experiencedd this too?
