Hemiplegia and Cerebral Palsy

Hemiplegia is a type of cerebral palsy that results from damage to the parts of the brain that control muscle movements. This damage may occur before, during or shortly after birth.

The term hemiplegia means that the paralysis is on one side of the body. A similar medical term, hemiparisis, means a weakness on one side of the body. In children with hemiplegia, the paralysis in the body occurs on the side opposite the affected part of the brain. For example, if the left side of the child's brain is injured, then the paralysis will be on the right side of the child's body.

The symptoms of SPASTIC HEMIPLEGIC CEREBRAL PALSY may differ from child to child and over time. Symptoms may include:

*difficulty with fine motor tasks like writing or using scissors
* difficulty with walking and balance
*stiffness and weakness in muscles on one side of the body
*seizures
*delay in reaching expected developmental milestones such as rolling over, sitting up, crawling, or smiling
*about one fourth of children with spastic hemiplegia may have an IQ below 70

IS HEMIPLEGIA A PROGRESSIVE CONDITION?

No hemiplegia is not a progressive condition, nor is it a disease. As children experience growth spurts, they may have more problems with muscle spasticity, but this does not mean that the initial injury has gotten worse.

ARE THERE TREATMENTS FOR CHILDREN WITH HEMIPLEGIA?

Children with hemiplegia cannot be "cured", but therapies can help with some of the symptoms. Medication can be prescribed for seizures. Orthotics, braces, and splints may help with spasticity and gait (walking).

CAUSES OF HEMIPLEGIA IN CHILDREN

*Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) or stroke thrombosis: embolism or hemorrhage
*Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
*Migraine syndrome
*Head Trauma: brain contusion, subdural hematoma or epidural hematoma
*Sturge-Weber Syndrome
*Todd's Paralysis
*Brain tumor (Primary or metastatic disease)
*Infection: brain abscess, encephalitis, subdural empyema or meningitis
*Nonketotic hyperosmolar coma
*Vasculitis
*Demyelinating disease: multiple sclerosis, acute necrotizing myelitis
*Hereditary disease: leukodystrophies
*Congenital or perinatal injury
*Arterovenous malformations

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