Spastic Hemiplegia – Paralysis and Spasms

Spastic hemiplegia is just another name for a medical disorder like cerebral palsy. Spastic hemiplegia is a medical disorder where there is impairment of brain signals going to muscles of the body. Essentially, the muscles contract on one side of the body but do not relax. Thus, one side of the body remains in a contracted state. The features of this disorder depend on the degree of brain injury. With spastic hemiplegia one side of the body is affected and remains rigid or paralyzed.
The cause of spastic hemiplegia has been argued for decades but experts believe that some type of brain damage occurs to the fetus while in the womb. It appears that one side of the brain is affected and this results in only one half of the body being affected. Today, there is a strong belief that perhaps somehow the fetus undergoes a lack of oxygen to the brain during delivery which results in the disorder.
Spastic hemiplegia can present with a range of symptoms. Not all individual with this injury will have a similar presentation or intensity of symptoms. The injury can vary from mild symptoms to severe hemiplegia which completely disables the individual. In some very rare cases, spastic hemiplegia symptoms may be transient. Most individual with spastic hemiplegia will have difficulty walking or have problems with balance. Even simple tasks like holding a cup, sewing or shaking hands can be difficult. The muscles on one side of the body are so tense and stiff that one is unable to accomplish any daily living task. Also associated with spastic hemiplegia is a developmental delay in many brain functions. Many individuals with this disorder may not be able to sit up, talk, swallow or crawl like normal children.
Moreover, others with this disorder may also experience seizures. More than 25-40 percent of children affected with spastic paralysis have a low IQ.
Besides injury during child birth, other causes of spastic hemiplegia include strokes, brain tumors, infections during pregnancy, multiple sclerosis and inherited disorders or deformed blood vessels (AV malformations).
When spastic hemiplegia is long standing it may lead to limb deformities resulting from muscle spasms. The foot, hip or the ankle may be deformed at the joint. Others may develop a foot drop or foot drag. Most cases spastic hemiplegia are discovered a few months after birth. The baby may exhibit awkward movements and there may be signs of developmental delay like the baby being unable to hold a feeding bottle or suck.
There is no cure for spastic hemiplegia except physical therapy. Drugs to relax muscle usually do not work. Physical therapy is aimed at strengthening muscles, preventing muscle stiffness and joint contractures. Sometime surgery may help limb deformities but the best treatment is prevention. Various orthopedic braces can help support movement and prevent limb deformities.
Other methods to treat this spastic disorder includes use of acupuncture, massage or yoga. Asides from the above therapies, loving care and support from the family can markedly improve the quality of life in individuals with spastic hemiplegia.