How to Identify the Cause of Paralysis

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HealthWiki > Disabled Village Children > Chapter 7: Paralysis > How to Identify the Cause of Paralysis

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In this chapter:

 

In this chapter:

• In cerebral palsy, usually you can find other signs of brain injury: over-active knee jerks and unusual reflexes, developmental delay, awkward or uncontrolled movement, or at least some muscle tenseness (spasticity). Sometimes cerebral palsy can be mistaken for polio, especially cerebral palsy where muscles are floppy or limp.
  
  However, cerebral palsy usually affects the body in typical patterns:

CEREBRAL PALSY

all 4 limbs

arm and leg on same side

both legs

Polio has a more irregular pattern of paralysis:

POLIO

• In muscular dystrophy, paralysis begins little by little and steadily gets more severe.

• Hip problems can cause limping, and muscles may become thin and weak. Check hips for pain or dislocations.

• Clubbed foot is present from birth.

• ‘Erb’s palsy’, or partial paralysis in one arm and hand, comes from birth injury to the child's shoulder.

• Children with leprosy usually have pale or reddish skin patches that have lost feeling. Foot and hand paralysis begin gradually.

• With spina bifida, which is present from birth, there is reduced feeling in the feet and often paralysis in the legs. There may be a lump (or scar) from surgery on the back.

• Injuries to the spinal cord or to particular nerves going to the arms or legs. There is usually a history of a severe back or neck injury, and loss of feeling in the paralyzed part of the body.

• Tuberculosis of the spine can cause gradual or suddenly increasing paralysis of the lower body. Look for typical bump on spine.

• One of the most common causes of “floppy” paralysis is Guillain-Barré syndrome. The cause of this condition is not known, but it often develops after an infection or injury. It usually begins without warning in the legs, and may spread within a few days to paralyze the whole body. Sometimes feeling is also reduced. Usually strength slowly returns, partly or completely, in several weeks or months.

This page was updated:04 Apr 2024