Which cerebral palsy subtype is associated with growth arrest in the affected limbs?

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The key idea is that uneven motor impairment from a unilateral brain lesion leads to disuse of the affected limb, which then slows its growth. In hemiplegic cerebral palsy, one side of the body is more severely affected, so the corresponding arm and leg are used less and often move in abnormal patterns. This reduced mechanical loading and activity diminishes stimulation at the growth plates of the long bones, resulting in slower growth of the involved limb compared with the unaffected side. Over time, this can produce noticeable limb-length discrepancy and “growth arrest” on the affected side. Other subtypes involve more symmetric involvement (quadriplegic) or legs more than arms without the same unilateral growth arrest pattern, so the distinct finding of growth arrest in one limb most aligns with the hemiplegic type.