Is it possible for a health condition to affect just one side of the body? With hemiplegic or hemiparesis cerebral palsy, it is.
In this article, we’ll explore several types of cerebral palsy. We’ll also examine what makes hemiplegic cerebral palsy different from other kinds.
Understanding Different Types of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a condition that affects a person’s ability to control their muscles. It sometimes results from brain damage that takes place before, during, or after birth.
These factors can cause brain damage that leads to CP:
- Medical negligence during pregnancy or delivery
- Premature birth
- Maternal health issues
- Birth complications
- Infections during pregnancy
- Genetic abnormalities
- Lack of oxygen
- Head trauma
- Stroke during infancy
There are 4 main types of CP: spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic, and mixed. There are also some subtypes. It’s helpful to have a basic understanding of these types and subtypes because the symptoms and treatment can vary for each.
Spastic
The most common type. It accounts for about 70% of cases. Its main characteristics are stiff muscles and difficulties with movement.
Subtypes of spastic cerebral palsy include:
- Spastic hemiplegia: This type affects one side of the body.
- Spastic diplegia: There are issues with the lower body, especially the legs.
- Spastic triplegia: A less common subtype where three limbs are affected.
- Spastic quadriplegia: Severe muscle stiffness and limited mobility in all four limbs and the trunk.
Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy
People with this type of CP make movements that they can’t control.
Subtypes include:
- Athetoid cerebral palsy: Involves slow, writhing movements that can affect the entire body.
- Dystonic cerebral palsy: Involves sustained muscle contractions that cause twisting and repetitive movements.
Ataxic Cerebral Palsy
This type includes problems with balance and coordination. People with ataxic CP may have shaky movements and difficulty with fine motor skills.
Mixed Cerebral Palsy
Some individuals may have a combination of different types of CP. For example, they may have lower body movement issues (spastic diplegia) but also suffer from muscle contractions (dystonic)
What is Hemiplegic or Hemiparesis Cerebral Palsy?
Now let’s discuss hemiplegic cerebral palsy and hemiparesis cerebral palsy (also called hemiparetic CP). First of all, the prefix “hemi” means that it affects just one side of the body.
Both are subtypes of spastic CP. They have very similar symptoms. Sometimes doctors use the terms interchangeably. But there are some differences. Usually hemiparetic CP describes milder cases.
With hemiplegic cerebral palsy, there’s paralysis on one side of the body. Usually, it means they can’t use their arm or leg on either the right or left side.
Hemiparesis, on the other hand, means there’s weakness on one side of the body. Children with hemiparesis cerebral palsy aren’t paralyzed. However, it can be hard for them to do daily activities because of muscle weakness on one side.
Signs and Symptoms of Hemiplegic/Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy
Most of the infants that develop hemiplegic cerebral palsy have seizures. That’s one of the first warning signs that a baby may have this particular type of CP. Doctors should stop the seizures as soon as possible because they can make brain damage worse.
Other signs include:
- Balling one hand into a fist
- Using one hand while playing
- Milestone delays (such as not sitting up or crawling when they should be able to do so)
- Stiff muscles or weakness on just one side of the body
- Having trouble keeping balance when standing or walking
These symptoms can be present at any time from birth to around 18 months. But many children with hemiplegic or hemiparesis cerebral palsy don’t receive a diagnosis until they’re around 3 years old. This is because the effects of the brain damage or stroke they suffered as a newborn don’t show up until later.
What Causes Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy?
CP isn’t a hereditary condition. But most cases of spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy are congenital. That means that hereditary factors made the baby more likely to develop CP.
For example, genetic factors could make the baby more likely to be born preterm. Premature babies have a greater chance of developing CP.
Here are additional risk factors for hemiplegic/hemiparetic cerebral palsy:
- Placental infections
- Maternal infections
- Congenital heart disease
- Stroke
- The mother’s blood isn’t compatible with the baby’s
A small percentage of cerebral palsy cases stem from medical negligence. A doctor’s mistake or failure to follow protocol can lead to a CP-causing birth injury.
Here are a few examples of how this could happen:
- Improper use of extraction tools (like forceps or a vacuum)
- Failure to order a prompt C-section when needed
- Failing to detect and address fetal distress
- Letting infections or conditions like jaundice go untreated
Figuring out the exact cause of a baby’s hemiplegic cerebral palsy can be tricky. This is why negligence lawsuits involving cerebral palsy require a high level of expertise.
If you suspect that negligence played a part in your child’s hemiplegic/hemiparesis cerebral palsy diagnosis, call us today. We have the qualifications and experience needed to handle the toughest birth injury cases.