Triplegia

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Triplegia is a medical condition is which the patient has paralysis of three limbs. It is frequently associated with cerebral palsy, although other medical conditions, such as a stroke, can also lead to it. Triplegia has also been found to be due to an increase in intracranial pressure associated with hydrocephalus resulting from traumatic brain injury.^[1] A person with triplegia can be referred to as a triplegic.

In cases of cerebral palsy, triplegia is often thought of as hemiplegia overlapping with diplegia. It may also be due to quadriplegia with much less involvement of one limb. In most cases, both of the legs and one arm are affected, but both arms and one leg can be affected also. Resources for children with quadriplegia are generally the most beneficial for children with triplegia.

A similar condition is triparesis, in which the patient suffers from paresis in three limbs, meaning that the limbs are very weak, but not completely paralyzed.

[edit] References

^ Sheffler, LR; Ito VY, Philip PA, Sahgal V (1994). "Shunting in chronic post-traumatic hydrocephalus: demonstration of neurophysiologic improvement". Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 75 (3): 338-341. PMID 8129589. Retrieved on 2007-01-21.