However, left side neglect after stroke should be taken seriously because it can pose a safety risk.įor example, if a survivor is walking across the street, they may not notice cars approaching from the left side. A stroke survivor with left neglect may only fill in the numbers on the right side like in the image below.īecause survivors do not notice things on the left side of their environment, they may only complete components of their daily tasks that involve their right side. Your therapist may test for left neglect by asking you to fill in the numbers on an empty clock. Ignoring caregivers unintentionally when approached on the left side, and often only turning head to the right.Putting a shirt only over your right arm.

Reading and writing only from the right side of the page.Eating only the right side of the plate.Bumping into objects on the left side of the body, and difficulty navigating the environment.Here are some examples of what left neglect after stroke may look like: The most prominent symptom of left neglect after stroke is difficulty noticing things on the left side of the body and environment. Symptoms of Left Side Neglect After Stroke It can provide insight into potential secondary effects that may occur. This is one of many reasons why survivors are encouraged to ask their doctor or neurologist for information about the location of their stroke. Therefore, a right-side parietal lobe stroke is likely to result in left-side neglect. We rely on our right parietal lobe to help us notice the environment on the left side of our body. The right side of the parietal lobe plays an even bigger role in attentional processes. The parietal lobe spans both hemispheres, and plays a strong role in spatial awareness. A stroke in the right hemisphere usually affects the left side of the body and vice versa. To understand why left neglect occurs - and why it occurs more frequently than right neglect - let’s look at the differences between the brain’s two hemispheres and the function of the parietal lobe.Įach hemisphere (side) of the brain controls the opposite side of the body. Left side neglect after stroke is much more common than right side neglect. Hemineglect is a condition that impairs attention and spatial awareness on the affected side of a person’s environment. At the end, you’ll find some exercises to help boost awareness on the survivor’s affected side. To help you understand this condition, which is formally known as hemineglect, you’re about to learn what causes it and how it is treated. Rather, it’s because the brain has been affected in a way that impairs the survivor’s ability to hold attention on their affected side. This is not because their vision or hearing is impaired. When someone with left neglect is approached from their left side, for example, they may not notice or respond to you. Left neglect after stroke is a condition that causes lack of attention and spatial awareness on the left side of the survivor’s environment.

Scansion exercises