Todd Paralysis is a a neurological condition experienced by a person with epilepsy, in which a seizure is followed by a brief period of temporary paralysis.
The paralysis with Todd's paralysis may be complete or partial but most often occurs on just one side of the body.
Todd's paralysis usually affects one side of the body, causing weakness or a loss of sensation, and it can make speech slurred.
Strokes can also cause these symptoms.
The two health issues can resemble one another, but they require different treatments.
Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) is a medical emergency with focal neurological deficits.
Todd's paralysis (TP) is defined as a transient loss of motor ability and weakness that lasts hours to days and typically occurs after a focal seizure.
Some people also refer to the condition as Todd's syndrome.
These disorienting effects actually point to a rare neurological condition.
Those with this syndrome may also experience severe migraines or epilepsy.
It can also be debilitating and leave people paralyzed with the symptoms for hours or days on end.
The symptoms of Todd's paralysis resolve themselves within 48 hours.
Conversely, the effects of a stroke can be permanent and usually require rehabilitation after the event.
Todd's paralysis symptoms don't require rehab to go away.
The condition is named after Robert Bentley Todd (1809–1860), an Irish-born London physiologist who first described the phenomenon in 1849.
It may occur in up to 13% of seizure cases.
It is most common after a focal motor seizure affecting one limb or one side of the body.