One of the best investments one can make is to get the child enrolled in some sort of early intervention program as soon as possible. These programs are designed to help alleviate and lessen as much as possible any negative effects cerebral palsy may have on the child. Early intervention may focus solely on the child, or on the whole family. Early intervention programs may be center-based, home-based, hospital-based, or any combination of the three. The services offered range from simply better identifying the type of cerebral palsy to interactive intervention programs. Early intervention may begin at any time between birth and school age, but it is recommended for it to start as early as possible since the rate of human development and learning is most rapid in the preschool years of a child. It's important not to miss out on this crucial part of the child's development. If those precious years are not taken advantage of, it may become much more difficult for the child later in life. Here is a developmental checklist to see if your child may need the help of an early intervention program (it is a rough timeline, all children vary somewhat from it).

It has been shown that in the long-term, early intervention programs are very cost effectiveness. In 1981 calculations were made to total the costs of of special education services for children up their 18th birthday. The study was further broken down to calculate the costs if these services were begun at birth, at age 2, and age 6. The results of the study found that the total costs were actually less if special services like early intervention were begun at birth. The total cost of special education services begun at birth was roughly $37,000 and total cost if begun at age 6 was roughly $50,0000. The cost is less when intervention is begun earlier because of the work done to lessen the effects of the child's condition. By not starting these services early enough, a parent can spend much more to essentially play "catch up". This study was done in 1981, when we adjust for inflation, the $37,000 becomes $82,000 and the $50,000 becomes a whopping $111,000 in today's dollars.

When a child with cerebral palsy is three years or younger, the state legally must provide an early intervention program. Typically, professionals will work with the child and the family to create what is commonly called an IFSP (Individualized Family Services Plan). The IFSP is designed to better detail the child's special needs and necessary special services. The IFSP is also designed to describe the needs of the family, so that parents will know how to best help their child. Sometimes, early intervention programs are priced on a sliding-scale, so the less the family makes, the less they pay. Other times, early intervention is provided at no cost to the parents. A family's health insurance may also pay for a portion of the early intervention program. This usually various from state to state and even from county to county.

It's important to point out that early intervention programs usually do not include any medical services (except for the purpose of better diagnosing the child). Physical therapy is often part of the program for children with cerebral palsy, but medicines or other medical procedures are not part of the early intervention program.

As the child grows and becomes school-aged, early intervention gives way to special services. These are most of the time provided by the school system that the child is a part of. The parents will work with the staff and faculty of the school to create what is commonly referred to as an IEP (Individualized Education Program). IEP's and IFSP's are similar to each other because they detail the child's needs and the services required to meet those needs. For the most part, special education services are provided free of charge to the parents by the school system, they being in turn subsidized by the government. These services can range from physical therapy to speech therapy to special classes for certain school subjects. Once again, medical services and procedures are not included in these services. Some parents of children with cerebral palsy also enroll their children in special after school activities. These activities, such as therapeutic stretching, yoga, special needs daycare, can be costly, but can be a valuable aid to the child with cerebral palsy.

Some children with cerebral palsy require wheelchairs to get around. This can pose a large financial burden since as the child grows, many parents end up having to buy wheelchair after wheelchair to accommodate their size. Think about how quickly children outgrow their shoes, then imagine if the shoes could cost up to $4,000 for each pair! Insurance companies usually limit how often a wheelchair can be replace, so even with insurance helping out with the bill, it can be quite expensive. One option available are growing wheelchairs. These chairs are designed to be modified to fit the child as they grow. There are also growth kits which you can buy to make an existing wheelchair better fit your growing child and to reduce the number of times you need to buy a new wheelchair. While some wheelchairs can be as low as $300 dollars, most pediatric wheelchairs start around $1000. Adding on accessories can make the price climb quickly.

There are more than 1 kind of wheelchair that is available for children with cerebral palsy. Since sitting in a wheelchair for long periods of time can increase the chance of hip dislocation, standing wheelchairs are also a popular option. These wheelchairs can support the child in a sitting position and also hold them steady in a standing position. Sports and lightweight wheelchairs are designed specifically to allow the child to get around quickly. The rear axle's on these wheelchairs are usually changed to lessen the chances of tipping over. There are also motorized wheelchairs for when the child is unable to get around on their own power, or for when they need a break. Starting around $1,200, these typically run a little more expensive than their manual powered counterparts.

By far the largest costs to a family who has a child with cerebral palsy are the various and numerous medical services and practices which might be done. There are some orthopedic surgeries which help treat spasticity by cutting the tendons of the affected muscles. The arm or leg is then put into a more natural position while the tendon heals and grows. This type of surgery may be done multiple times as the child grows and their limbs and tendons stretch at various rates. Even if you have a good insurance policy with a low deductible, the repeated payments can cost you thousands.

Botulinum A toxin injections (commercially known as Botox) is also used by doctors and hospitals to treat cerebral palsy. The injections weaken the muscles for up to 4 months, which can reduce spasticity. While the effects are temporary, there are minimal side effects so the procedure can be done over and over again. The very fact that this treatment may be administered multiple times over the course of years, means that you have to be prepared to pay for these treatments over the long term.

Other muscle relaxing drugs are used to treat spasticity in children with cerebral palsy. These can include Valium, Lioresal, and Dantrium. The cost of refilling such prescriptions can run over a hundred dollars a month.

There are some surgeries that are considered too radical by some doctors. One such surgery is dorsal rhizotomy. This cerebral palsy surgery involves operating on the lower back of the child and severing the nerves which cause spasticity and which hinder walking. Obviously such surgery is risky since once cut, the nerves cannot be reattached. Insurance companies are are not likely to pay for such surgeries unless the child meets stringent requirements.

Hyperbaric oxygen chamber treatment is a new therapy which is growing in popularity. In this treatment, the child is placed in a pressurized chamber which is then pumped full of oxygen, so that the oxygen concentration is nearly 100% (the air we usually breath contains 21% oxygen). These usually cost $100 to $200 dollars per treatment, and are not often covered by insurance since the effectiveness of such treatments against cerebral palsy have not been very well established.

All in all, the childhood years of somebody with cerebral palsy are usually the most expensive. The changing needs of the child and the procedures and practices done while they are still growing quickly add up to a substantial sum.