How Many People Have Cerebral Palsy?

Understanding the prevalence of cerebral palsy can bring a sense of comfort to parents of children with CP. Over 17 million people worldwide, including hundreds of thousands in the United States, live with cerebral palsy. Knowing this can help parents feel less isolated. 

In this article, we’ll explore how many people are affected by cerebral palsy and why these numbers matter.

The statistics of cerebral palsy presented here come from several reliable resources, including:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network (the CDC tracks incidence of cerebral palsy and statistics through this network) 
• Cerebral Palsy Research Network

Please note that the prevalence of cerebral palsy can differ from year to year, and statistics can change. 

Prevalence of Cerebral Palsy Worldwide

If your child was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, one of the questions that crossed your mind was probably, “How many people have cerebral palsy?” You want to know you’re not alone. Also, when you connect with other families facing similar experiences, you can find strength, reassurance, and advice. 

Cerebral palsy isn’t as common as, say, nearsightedness. But it’s the most common motor disability in children. 

Globally, over 17 million individuals live with cerebral palsy. Incidence of cerebral palsy worldwide ranges from 1 to nearly 4 per 1,000 live births.

How Many People Have Cerebral Palsy in the United States?

In the United States, around 764,000 children and adults live with CP. About 1 in 345 children have it. 

This means that each year, approximately 10,000 children are born with cerebral palsy. The prevalence of cerebral palsy varies a bit, based on factors such as race and gender. CP is more common in boys than girls. It’s also more frequent in Black children compared to White or Hispanic children.

Key Statistics of Cerebral Palsy

Here are some key findings from reports published by the CDC and others:

• Incidence of cerebral palsy is higher in infants born preterm or with low birth weight
• Worldwide, the prevalence of cerebral palsy is declining. 
• A 2010 study found that 58.9% of children with CP could walk independently. 7.8% used a device to walk. 33.3% had limited or no walking ability. 
• Most kids with CP have another co-occurring condition. A 2022 United Kingdom study published by the American Psychological Association found that 95% of the children studied had another condition. Most were related to gastrointestinal issues.

What Type of Cerebral Palsy is the Most Common?

The most common type of CP is spastic cerebral palsy. 82.9% of people with CP have this type. People with spastic CP have increased muscle tone. This means their muscles are stiff, and their movements may be awkward. 

Spastic cerebral palsy can also be classified into subtypes. These subtypes include spastic diplegia, which primarily affects the legs, and spastic hemiplegia, affecting one side of the body. There’s also spastic quadriplegia, which impacts all four limbs, the trunk, and face​. 

Among the subtypes of spastic cerebral palsy, spastic diplegia is the most common. Spastic diplegia primarily affects the legs. So people with this type of CP tend to have trouble walking. Many of them can walk, but they might need assistive devices like braces or walkers. 

Here is the prevalence of cerebral palsy for the other types of CP:

• Dyskinetic CP: 2.6% to 15% of cases.
• Ataxic CP: 4.2% to 6% of individuals
• Mixed CP (a combination of more than one type): about 10%

Economic Statistics of Cerebral Palsy

The economic impact of cerebral palsy (CP) on families and healthcare systems is substantial. Medical costs are much higher for children with CP than for children without it. 

In fact, among children enrolled in Medicaid in 2005, expenses were 10 times higher than for children without CP or intellectual disabilities. These costs soared to 26 times higher for children with both cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities.

Here are some more economic statistics of cerebral palsy:

• The lifetime cost of care for an individual with cerebral palsy is over $1 million dollars. 
• The combined lifetime costs for all individuals with CP born in 2000 are projected to total $11.5 billion, covering both direct and indirect costs.​

If your baby was recently diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a result of negligence, the guilty party may be liable for the cost of your child’s care. To find out more about recovering damages, please read our Guide to Filing a Cerebral Palsy Lawsuit.