How did you tell.....?

A question I got asked recently was how I told Miss A that she has cerebral palsy?
Well here's the honest answer- we haven't.
We haven't had a sit down talk and told her she has CP.
She has just turned 4.
Try explaining to a 3 year old what CP is....
We have told her she has more difficulties than others, we have explained the problems she has and we deal with the situation as it arises.
We don't think she is old enough to understand that her problems together make a title or a label. We don't think it will benefit her in anyway to know what she has but we are prepared for when she is ready.
Miss A does not see herself as different in anyway. She doesn't need any special equipment in her day to day life and she can often do things other kids can't because of her differences. She sees herself in a way I wish everyone could see her- just the same as everyone else but unique.

To me she deals so well with any issues that arise with her CP it is the sensory side that really bothers her. So as we move forward particularly with starting school next year I can see the need arising to explain things to her. People around her will be using the label and she will probably have an aide in the room just for her. Although it won't make any difference I would rather tell her before she asks....

Tonight we were watching Sunday Night: A Father's Love a story about a child with severe CP and the steps the Dad has gone to to give him the best chance in life. While watching I had J next to me trying to talk to me and I kept telling him to wait because Mummy was watching something important. He started to focus on the little boy who was trying to stand and then it showed him walking with a walker. He asked me what it was and why he needed it. I said that little boy has cerebral palsy and he needs help to walk. He then started to compare it to Miss L as a baby needing help. So then I had to say no he was bigger but he couldn't walk on his own even though he knew how. His body needed extra help. He started to get it then. I said that was what Miss A had. So she comes skipping around going what Mum? I said that little boy has CP like you do but he needs a walker and you can do it all by yourself. She just laughed and skipped away.... It seems though that Mr J got thinking.

As she gets older I'm sure the conversation will come up again but in the meantime I see Mr J as the one who will have questions.