Klumpkes Palsy Symptoms
There are many Klumpke’s palsy symptoms, and you don’t need every one of the signs for your child to have this. This is a brachial type of palsy, which impacts the brachial plexus nerves (the nerves in the shoulder). It is important to be aware that this condition can cause what has become known as Horner’s Syndrome. Horner’s syndrome is when the damage has disrupted the nerve pathway from the brain to the face.
Understanding the Symptoms
There are a few symptoms of Klumpe’s palsy to monitor for. This condition will impact the intrinsic muscles of the hand and the flexors of the fingers and wrists. When you check your child for these symptoms, you should note that symptoms can vary depending on the case’s severity. In some cases, when you look at your child, you might notice that they have a hand in the shape of a claw. This results from paralysis to the hands and the muscles not working in the way they should.
Some of the symptoms to be aware of with this birth injury include:
- Stiff joints
- Severe pain
- Muscle atrophy
- No feeling or sensation in the hand
- Drooping of the eyelids on the opposite side of the affected part of the body
What Causes This Condition?
This condition’s causes are similar to what causes Erb’s palsy, but this birth disorder is considered more serious. While Erb’s palsy impacts the upper brachial plexus nerves, Klumpke’s palsy harms the lower brachial plexus nerves. Typically, this condition happens as a result of problems that occurred during childbirth. For example, perhaps the mother was smaller, and she had a big baby. The problem with this is how the child could get trapped above the mother’s pelvic bone, one of the common reasons this condition arises. In fact, it happens in many of the same ways that Erb’s palsy happens. These two palsies and cerebral palsy all have a few things in common with each other. For example, they can all cause paralysis. It depends on the type of injury sustained, but each of them can range in severity from mild to severe. You might notice a temporary numbness of the hand or arm.
In most cases, Klumpke’s palsy happens due to neuropraxia, the most common type of brachial plexus injury. Neuropraxia is when you have a temporary loss of motor or sensory function resulting from nerve conduction blockage. You have many cases where the child recovers from the injury within six months, but that will also depend on the injury’s extent. It could take years before your child sees a full recovery from it for one of the more severe cases. In some cases, they will recover with 90 to 100 percent of their hand and arm function.