Double hemiplegia is a condition involving weakness or paralysis affecting all four limbs, but with one side of the body being more affected than the other.
In essence, it's like having hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body) affecting both sides, but asymmetrically. One side is typically weaker than the other, distinguishing it from quadriplegia (or tetraplegia) where all four limbs are affected more evenly. Double hemiplegia is a specific type of cerebral palsy.
To clarify the distinctions, here's a comparison:
| Condition | Limbs Affected | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Double Hemiplegia | All Four | One side more affected than the other |
| Quadriplegia | All Four | All four limbs generally equally affected |
While double hemiplegia indicates weakness or paralysis, the terms double hemiparesis, tetraparesis, and quadriparesis refer to weakness in all four limbs to varying degrees, following the same patterns of distribution and severity as their "plegia" counterparts.
