TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Weakness A1 - Fuchs, Susan A2 - Schafermeyer, Robert A2 - Tenenbein, Milton A2 - Macias, Charles G. A2 - Sharieff, Ghazala Q. A2 - Yamamoto, Loren G. Y1 - 2014 N1 - T2 - Strange and Schafermeyer's Pediatric Emergency Medicine, 4e AB - Upper motor neuron diseases usually present with asymmetrical weakness contralateral to the lesion. Lower motor neuron diseases present with symmetrical weakness that can be isolated to specific muscle groups.Involvement of bulbar muscles is manifested by cranial nerve findings, facial muscle weakness, and chewing or swallowing difficulties. Bulbar involvement can occur in both upper and lower motor neuron disorders.Neuropathies are disorders of nerves and tend to cause distal muscle weakness, hypesthesias or paresthesias, and decreased reflexes, especially early in the disease.Myopathies are disorders of muscle and can be inflammatory or congenital. Inflammatory myopathies usually involve proximal muscles and are associated with muscle pain or tenderness.Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) often starts with paresthesias in the fingers and toes, and nonspecific muscular pain, most often in the thighs. The pain is followed by ascending weakness, which results in trouble walking or balance problems.Infantile botulism is caused by colonization of the intestinal tract by spores of Clostridium botulinum. Many cases are linked to nearby construction projects, as soil harbors the spores. A prominent early manifestation is constipation. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/10/04 UR - accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1105683005 ER -