Which of the following are topographic classifications of cerebral palsy?

• A. Hemiplegia, Diplegia, and Tetraplegia
• B. Quadriplegia, Monoplegia, Diplegia
• C. Spastic, Athetoid, and Ataxic
• D. Unilateral, Bilateral, and Multilevel

Answer: (A)

Topographic classifications describe how much of the body is affected by cerebral palsy. The standard categories are hemiplegia (one side of the body), diplegia (primarily the legs, with less involvement of the arms), and tetraplegia or quadriplegia (affecting all four limbs and often the trunk). This distribution-focused framework helps clinicians anticipate functional patterns and tailor therapy accordingly.

The other options mix different ideas: movement-disease classifications like spastic, athetoid, and ataxic refer to the type of movement disorder or tone, not where the impairment is located. Terms like unilateral, bilateral, or multilevel are less precise as CP topography. Monoplegia is rare in CP, and quadriplegia is essentially another term for tetraplegia, not the standard topographic trio.

So the trio that reflects topographic distribution most accurately is hemiplegia, diplegia, and tetraplegia.