Quadriplegic babies

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

valens100@hotmail.com - 03 Feb 2005 12:17 GMT

I was recently shocked to discover that there are babies who have
become paralyzed from the neck down following accidents, at only
a few months of age. How long can such a baby be expected to stay
alive under the best circumstances? Does the body continue to
grow after the accident?
Thanks,

Valentina

Reply to this Message

Jeff - 03 Feb 2005 12:31 GMT

>I was recently shocked to discover that there are babies who have
> become paralyzed from the neck down following accidents, at only
> a few months of age. How long can such a baby be expected to stay
> alive under the best circumstances?

The muscles that control the diaphram exit the spinal cord in the neck. As
long as the spinal cord is severed below where these nerves exit the spinal
cord, the baby can breath.

If the injury is above this level, it is possible to put a tracheostomy in,
in which a breath tube is placed directly in the throat in the frun of the
neck. (Of course, in this case, the child needs artificial respiration as
soon as the spinal cord is injured.)

> Does the body continue to
> grow after the accident?

Why wouldn't it grow?

Yes, the body continues to grow.

Jeff

> Thanks,
>
> Valentina

Reply to this Message