Many experience contractures, which are defined as joints that cannot be stretched or moved. Clonus is another symptom that is characterized by alternating, rapid muscle contraction and relaxation. This presents itself as tremors and scissoring of the limbs. Distonia, or lasting muscle contractions and tightness, is also often experienced by those affected by spastic quadriplegia. These involuntary muscle contractions may affect the development of structural muscle around the hip and lead to hip dysplasia and dislocation, making it difficult to sit. The combination of these symptoms often makes it difficult for the patients to walk as well. Although the arms and legs of patients are often stiff, the neck is usually limp due to the lack of voluntary muscle control. Causes
Spastic quadriplegia is generally caused by brain damage or disruptions in normal brain development preceding birth. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are four types of brain damage that can cause spastic quadriplegia. These include, damage to the white matter (periventricular leukomalacia), abnormal brain development (cerebral dysgenesis), bleeding in the brain (intracranial hemorrhage), and brain damage due to lack of oxygen (hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy or intrapartum asphyxia).The white matter of the brain is especially vulnerable between the 26th and 34th weeks of maturation, and damage to the white matter can interfere with the brain’s ability to transmit signals to the rest of the body.
Photokeratitis or ultraviolet keratitis is a painful eye condition caused by exposure of insufficiently protected eyes to the ultraviolet (UV) rays from either natural (e.g. intense sunlight) or artificial (e.g. the electric arc during welding) sources. Photokeratitis is akin to a sunburn of the cornea and conjunctiva. The injury may be prevented by wearing eye protection that blocks most of the ultraviolet radiation, such as welding goggles with the proper filters, a welders helmet, sunglasses rated for sufficient UV protection, or appropriate snow goggles. The condition is usually managed by removal from the source of ultraviolet radiation, covering the corneas, and administration of pain relief. Photokeratitis is known by a number of different terms including: snow blindness, arc eye, welders flash, bake eyes, corneal flash burns, flash burns, niphablepsia, or keratoconjunctivitis photoelectrica. Signs and symptoms
Common symptoms include pain, intense tears, eyelid twitching, discomfort from bright light, and constricted pupils. Cause
Any intense exposure to UV light can lead to photokeratitis. In 2010, the Department of Optometry at the Dublin Institute of Technology published that the threshold for photokeratitis is 0.12 J/m2. (Prior to this, in 1975, the Division of Biological Effects at the US Bureau of Radiological Health had published that the human threshold for photokeratitis is 50 J/m2.) Common causes include welding with failure to use adequate eye protection such as an appropriate welding helmet or welding goggles. This is termed arc eye, while photokeratitis caused by exposure to sunlight reflected from ice and snow, particularly at elevation, is commonly called snow blindness.