Cerebral Palsy maybe/maybe not

Children with four limbs involved with the uppers more than the lowers in a pattern of elbow & wrist flexion and leg extension are often called bilateral hemiplegia (rather than quadriplegia) to emphasize this pattern of kind of involvement rather than just a limb count. In effect, both middle cerebral arteries were compromised or bilateral hemorrhages occurred. Sudden low blood flow might involve the middle cerebral territory most as there is least cross flow from other vessels (at full term, this is not so earlier in development). It would seem that the brain surface, anticipating birth shearing of the skull, drops cross connecting vessels that were feeding the brain surface. Quadriplegia - in the context of this list this term is OK, but not best - It implies a very generalized event, such as anoxia better called TOTAL BODY as the head and neck are involved (and not excluded just because they are not limbs). Besides, this term is already spoken for. Spinal cord injury may use this term (correctly), but seldom is that so with CP. Total body CP?

There can be good blood flow with poor oxygenation such as is caused by placental disconnection. The child's heart pumps but the blood gets no oxygen from mother. CO2 also builds, as does acidosis. Damage is to those brain areas that are most sensitive to oxygen deficit and to acidosis is a

double whammy. The base of brain, populated with many ‘nuclei’ [cells of a feather flocking together] is particularly hurt by oxygen lack and CO2 poisoning. These high metabolism structures are also the most eleptogenic when damaged .. seizure prone.