* Seeing and hearing difficulties can be experienced by children with cerebral palsy. It is important always to make eye contact and make sure the child understands what is being said. Showing, as well as telling, can help.
* Sitting without support is problematic for some children with cerebral palsy and they may have special supportive chairs. A good sitting position should be maintained - feet flat on the floor, head and arms facing front and in the middle, and hips firmly in the seat is often best. Take a photo of the child in their best sitting position and check their posture regularly.
Check the line of sight from the child's viewpoint. Use grab bars that clamp to the table to provide a steadying support for children who have difficulty sitting up and facing front. You can tie children's toys to their tray to stop them falling off.
* Mark-making with felt tip pens can often be easier for children who have difficulty holding writing materials, because less pressure is needed than with a pencil or crayon. Fastening an elastic band to the shaft of a pen, then slipping it over the child's palm, can stop it falling every time they need to change grip. Children with weak or tight hands may never write fluently but early access to computers can help them work independently.
* Speech development can be aided by a system to help children express themselves. Children often have difficulty with phonics and need a lot of experience with words and sentences before sounds within the words are clear to them.
Pictures and objects can be used to support what you say. Use a storyboard with pictures that the whole group can point to. Always wait for the child to give a response, allowing plenty of time, and acknowledge it. Don't automatically answer for the child or let other children do this. For older children, sticking pictures and word cards to household sponges will make them easier to pick up.
* For children who are unsteady, mobility can be improved by arranging furniture in the setting to support them moving around. Ask 'How can this child move independently around the room?' - not 'How can I get all his wants and needs met in that seat?' Children using wheelchairs are rarely at risk of falling - and may have more fun if their friends push them around.
