A nurse is caring for a client who has had a spinal cord injury at the level of the T2-T3 vertebrae. When planning care, the nurse should anticipate which of the following types of disability?

Choice A rationale Quadriplegia, also known as tetraplegia, involves paralysis affecting all four limbs and the torso. This typically results from spinal cord injuries at the cervical level (C1-C8), as these segments innervate the diaphragm and upper and lower extremities. A T2-T3 injury is lower in the spinal column and would not result in paralysis of all four limbs, as motor control of the upper limbs originates from cervical segments. Choice B rationale Paresthesia refers to an abnormal sensation, such as tingling, numbness, or "pins and needles," often caused by nerve damage or compression. While paresthesia can be a symptom of a spinal cord injury, it describes a sensory deficit rather than the primary type of motor disability. A T2-T3 injury causes a specific pattern of motor and sensory loss below the level of injury, which is a broader classification. Choice C rationale Paraplegia is paralysis that primarily affects the lower half of the body, including the legs and, depending on the level, parts of the trunk. A spinal cord injury at the T2-T3 vertebral level is located in the thoracic region, below the cervical innervation for the upper extremities. Therefore, motor and sensory deficits would predominantly manifest in the lower limbs and trunk, consistent with paraplegia. Choice D rationale Hemiplegia is paralysis affecting one side of the body, typically resulting from brain injuries such as stroke, which affect motor pathways contralaterally. It is not characteristic of spinal cord injuries, where neurological deficits are typically bilateral below the level of the lesion due to the organization of descending motor tracts within the spinal cord.