Neurologic Impairments Flashcards
1
Q
Decorticate Rigidity/Posturing
A
- Upper extremities are in spastic FLEXED position with internal rotation and adduction.
- Lower extremities are in spastic EXTENDED position, with internal rotation and addiction.
- Typical of damage to cerebral hemispheres.
2
Q
Decerebrate Rigidity/Posturing
A
- Upper AND lower extremeties are in spastic EXTENSION, with internal rotation and adduction.
- Wrists and fingers flex, plantar portions of the feet flex and invert, the trunk extends, and the head retracts.
- Typical of damage to the midbrain and/or brainstem.
3
Q
Ataxia
A
- Abnormal movement resulting from cerebellum damage
- Impaired muscle coordination
- Interventions focus on compensatory strategies for control, including weighting of body parts or use of weighted utensils or cups
4
Q
Apraxia
A
- Inability to plan and perform purposeful movements
- May be treated with hand-over-hand exercise to repair damaged neural pathways.
- Client may also compensate by following steps depicted in pictures or written on a card.
5
Q
Coma
A
- Severe disorder of consciousness
- Absence of responses to environmental stimuli
- No evidence of sleep-wake cycles
- No intentional movement
- Eyes do not open to stimuli or spontaneously
6
Q
Vegetative State
A
- Onset within 1 month of TBI
- No awareness or ability to interact with self or environment
- No sustained, reproducible, voluntary, or behavioral responses to sensory stimuli
- No apparent receptive language comprehension or verbal expression
- Sleep-wake cycles of variable length
- Ability to self-regulate temperature, breathing, and circulation for survival
- Incontinence of bowel and bladder
- Variable and unpredictable preserved cranial nerve and spinal reflexes
- Condition of past and continuing disability with uncertain future
- Persistent Vegetative State = exceedingly small chance of client regaining consciousness before death
7
Q
Minimally Conscious State
A
- Definite behavioral evidence of awareness of self, environment, or both
- Discernible, reproducible behavior in one or more of the following areas: following commands, gestural or verbal yes/no responses, intelligible verbalizations, purposeful movements.
8
Q
Glasgow Coma Scale
A
- Traditional method to assess levels of consciousness
- Quantifies the severity of TBI and predicts outcome
- Scores range from 3 to 15:
Severe = 3 to 8
Moderate = 9 to 12
Mild = 13 to 15 - Assess three behavioral areas (eye opening, verbal responses, & motor responses)
9
Q
Rancho Los Amigos Scale of Cognitive Functioning
A
- Descriptive measurement of awareness and cognitive function after traumatic injury
- Scored from Level I to Level X
10
Q
RLA - Level I
A
- No response
- Is completely unresponsive to any stimuli presented
11
Q
RLA - Level II
A
- Generalized response
- Exhibits inconsistent and non-purposeful reactions to stimuli
12
Q
RLA - Level III
A
- Localized response
- Reacts specifically to stimuli, though inconsistently
13
Q
RLA - Level IV
A
- Confused & agitated response
- Has heightened state of activity with severely decreased ability to process information
14
Q
RLA - Level V
A
- Confused, inappropriate & non-agitated response
- Appears alert with fairly consistent reactions, although increased complexity of commands causes more random responses
15
Q
RLA - Level VI
A
- Confused & appropriate response
- Exhibits goal-directed behavior but is dependent on external input for direction
16
Q
RLA - Level VII
A
- Automatic, appropriate responses
- Behaves appropriately and is oriented to place and routine, but frequently displays shallow recall
17
Q
RLA - Level VIII to X
A
- Purposeful and appropriate responses
- Is alert and oriented
- Able to recall and integrate past and recent events
- Each level represents a decreasing need for assistance with routine daily living skills:
VIII = Stand-by assistance (SBA)
IX = SBA on request
X = Modified Independence (Mod I)
18
Q
Acute Phase of TBI
A
- Initial interventions for severe disorders of consciousness occur in the intensive care and acute care units of hospitals.
- Interventions involve both preventive and restorative approaches.
19
Q
Interventions for Acute Phase of TBI
A
- Wheelchair positioning
- Bed positioning
- PROM (to prevent development of secondary impairments)
- Splinting and casting (if spasticity interferes with functional movement AND/OR soft-tissue contractures are possible)
- Sensory stimulation
- Management of agitation (e.g., behavior management strategies to avoid reinforcing inappropriate behaviors while allowing medically necessary treatments to occur)
- Family and caregiver education (so can assist with sensory regulation, positioning, & ROM needs)
21
Q
Inpatient Rehabilitation Phase of TBI
A
- Inpatient rehabilitation settings for TBI provide intensive rehabilitation for clients who are able to demonstrate stimulus-specific responses.
- Clients in inpatient rehabilitation are generally at Rancho Level V or higher.