Mary Katherine Powers wrote:

>
> I had no idea there was anyone diagnosed with CP later in life.  I 
> thought everyone was diagnosed by about age 5 or so.


Hi Mary,

About a decade ago I met a young woman in her mid twenties who'd only 
been diagnosed with CP a couple of years before I met her.  Her CP was 
very very mild, but funny thing was, as soon as I saw her walk in the 
door, and before she said she had it, I knew she had CP.  And, very 
oddly - I would never ask a question like this usually - I asked her 
"How long have you been diagnosed with CP?", rather than saying, as I 
normally would, something like, "Oh, you have CP too, like me".  It was 
very strange.  And up to then, I'd had no idea that CP could be 
diagnosed so late.  I'm 32 and was diagnosed at 2 and a half, so that's 
all I knew.

So yes, it is possible to be diagnosed very late.  The person I 
mentioned was stiffer than average in her movements, and I could see a 
slight delay before she did anything or spoke, wouldn't have been picked 
up by anyone not very familiar with CP.

Sounds like you've had a very frustrating time with the medics.  Just 
remember, doc's aren't superhuman, and some times they muck up 
diagnosises.  Before I was dx-ed with CP as a kid, they thought I might 
have brittle bones (didn't break a bone till I was 18 so I have *no* 
idea where they got that from!), and all the standard doom and gloom 
rubbish they talk about premmie babies.

Hope you get a proper answer and useful help from the med. community 
soon. :-)

Rayna - spastic CP from Perth, Australia, working in non profit advocacy 
(for the info of those of you who've joined/rejoined the list since I 
posted last.  And to clear up possible confusion about my name for those 
who don't know me, I'm female. :-) )

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