Winter is coming. The leaves are falling from the trees, the temperature is dropping and you’re starting to see adverts for Xmas. A lot of people enjoy this time of year – you can stuff yourself with indulgent food and that cosy onsie that feels like sweat suit during the summer.
However if you’re a person living with Cerebral Palsy, the change of season can be a tricky thing to deal with. Our bodies’ don’t do well in the cold and I think all of us would agree – if we could all live in the Orange County – we would. I’ll keep holding on to that dream.
But fear not friends. I’ve picked up some helpful tips over the years that I thought were worth sharing.
Boil Yourself In a Morning
I use to prefer baths – I use to think that my Cerebral Palsy did better in baths. How wrong I was. Showers are the way forwards. Get in there, turn the temp dial up and don’t come out until your pink. The heat and steam will help all those tricky spasms just drop right out of you.
Scarfs and Cerebral Palsy – A Winning Combination
A proper winter coat – check. Thick cotton socks – check. Most clothing options for in winter are obvious. But one accessory that I always seemed to miss was a scarf. And yet for a lot of people with Cerebral Palsy, a scarf can be the most important choice. Certainly with my Cerebral Palsy, I use my neck as a fixing point and this means that it can stiffen up quick even when it is warm. Check out some options here – check out some options here.
Get Out and About
Getting out and about as it gets colder and darker can be very hard. But us humans (even ones with Cerebral Palsy), are designed to move around. There are a variety of things that can help such as hand cycles and big tires. Check out our guide to winter in wheelchair for some helpful ideas.