Rehabilitation Professionals’ Perception of Differences in Development and Clinical Manifestations Between Right and Left Hemiplegia in Children

Background.  Hemiplegic cerebral palsy presents with lateralized impairments that may influence developmental outcomes. While literature suggests lesion laterality affects domains such as language and spatial awareness, clinical consensus remains unclear. Purpose. To determine whether rehabilitation professionals observe differences in development or functional outcomes between right and left hemiplegia in children. Method. A cross-sectional survey of licensed pediatric rehabilitation professionals was conducted. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and logistic regression. Qualitative responses were thematically analyzed. Results. 63.3% of total (n=49) pediatrics rehabilitation professionals report perceiving difference between hemiplegia types. Right hemiplegia was significantly associated with speech and language difficulties with a 61.3% of all participants. Motor deficits were the most commonly observed domain with 74.2% of participants. Cultural factors, such as religious emphasis on right-hand use, were noted to influence rehabilitation outcomes. Conclusion. The findings of this study, supported by previous literature, reinforce the hypothesis that developmental and functional differences are perceived between left and right hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Rehabilitation specialists should adopt a holistic approach that considers both lesion severity and cultural norms influencing perceptions of development and function. Integrating neurobiological and sociocultural factors is essential for individualized rehabilitation strategies.