The vast leaps and bounds made in technological advancement over the past decades have had an immeasurable effect on people living with disabilities. Children with cerebral palsy, in particular, benefit greatly from what computers and technology have to offer. From medical testing, to everyday functionality, to being able to attend a “mainstream” school, computers and technology can help to improve the quality of life of all children with cerebral palsy.

Recent advances in technology have allowed cerebral palsied children to have a higher level of interaction with their peers, through computer communication devices. These communication devices have had an immense impact on many people with cerebral palsy’s lives, because they allow for so much more communication for a person who may not have been able to communicate (despite a possibly excellent and fully-able intellect). Computer technology can range from an electronic toy with specialized switches for operation or a videogame with altered controls parents may purchase for their cerebral palsied child, to sophisticated computer programs operated by simple switch pads, keyboard adaptations, headrest controls, and more.

Other ways in which technology aids children with cerebral palsy’s ability to communicate can be found in augmentative communication devices, often functioning on very sophisticated technologies such as a voice synthesizer that enable a child to “talk” with others. Even such old-fashioned devices as wheelchairs have been revamped by new technology to aid children in being more independent.