Information in this article was made available from a guide for parents and dental providers of children with special needs developed by the Oklahoma Dental Foundation in partnership with several funders.  The entire guide is available for download at: Oral Health Care For Children With Special Health Care Needs.

The following is an excerpt from page 15 of the guide.

Cerebral palsy is a complex group of motor issues and functional impairments that affect muscle control and coordination. Children with this type of disorder can experience uncontrolled body movements, stiffness, weakness in parts or all of their bodies, seizures, sensory problems, balance and mobility problems and in many cases different levels of mental retardation. Typical symptoms of cerebral palsy fall into many categories. This section intends to cover only those medical issues that are unique to this disorder. Other conditions and/or behaviors will be covered in other sections of this guide and the resource section.

Oral Effects
There are no specific oral effects, however, there are symptoms that can affect how a person is positioned and handled for dental treatment.

Once passed, comfort the child and ensure they understand to the best of their ability that they are ok and the treatment will go on or stop as determined beforehand