Hello,
Hope I can help out a bit.  Hven't read down the whole list of replies so
please excuse me if I repeat anything.
Have you spoken with a genetist<sp? is poor this morning>  There is a rare
form of cp/ cp like disorder that is inheritable.  Also, there is the
possibility that you've all inherited the same brain circulation that may
make you more prone to cp.
Also, in our part of the country they are finding out about mitochondrial
disorders that mimic cp.  The mitochondria are the power houses of the cells
and can these disorders can affect a number of systems.  Mitochondrial
disorders can be very inheritable.  The research is being done out of
Atlanta and is very interesting.  I'm sorry I don't have a URL for you
though.

Elizabeth Hill Thiers, OTR/L
email address: [log in to unmask]
homepage: www.bv.net/~john/bethsot1.html

-----Original Message-----
From: St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Dave & Tammy Canfield
Sent: Friday, August 13, 1999 1:27 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Children/genetics


Hi all,

I have a fast question for all of you.  First thing I should explain is our
situation for those of you who don't know.

I have right-hemiplegia type CP resulting from a stroke before birth or
right after.  I now have 3 "natural" children as well as three older
children adopted from my wife's previous marriage.  Of the three natural
children two of them have CP.  One is a hypotonic quad and one is a spastic
quad.  Both of their MRI came back normal so their exact diagnosis is
"cerebral palsy with unknown origin".

To make matters more interesting my dad may very well have CP.  As a child
he was diagnosed with polio.  Later that diagnosis was withdrawn, but to
this day he still has the "CP gait" and keeps his left hand in his pocket
constantly.

Further back, my great aunt had "severe" CP, or at least what they called
severe CP at the time and lived in an institution.

This raises serious questions about the genetic nature of CP.  When the two
kids were diagnosed the neurolgist suggested genetic testing.  At the time
we refused, but now we are raising questions.  Not a big concern, just
curious and wondering if any of you on this list have more than one
generation of CP in your family.

Dave, adult rh
Koltin, mild hypotonic
Rebekah, mild spastic