Clinical History.—This 5-week-old white girl came to the hospital recently because of irritability and progressive loss of movement of the limbs. She was born to a gravida 7 para 2, aborted 4 mother with a history of "dermatomyositis," after a gestation remarkable for late and feeble fetal movements. Labor was induced "because they thought the baby was dead," but delivery was precipitous, and attempts were made to retard the baby's progress through the birth canal. She was felt to be normal in the nursery. Physical examination revealed an irritable infant lying with her limbs motionless and her legs in a frog-leg position, the limbs appearing flaccid and somewhat tender to touch. There were no other positive physical findings, and routine laboratory studies were unremarkable.
Denouement and Discussion
Congenital Syphilis With Parrot's Pseudoparalysis
Parrot's pseudoparalysis refers to the clinical syndrome of pseudoparalysis secondary to the osteochondritis seen in infants with