Lower Brainstem and Cranial Nerve Dysfunction
This chapter will review disorders causing dysfunction of the VII through XII cranial nerves. Many such disorders also disturb ocular motility and the discussion of these is in Chapter 15…
Disorders of Ocular Motility
The maintenance of binocular vision requires harmonious function of the visual sensory system, gaze centers, ocular motor nerves, neuromuscular junction, and ocular muscles. This chapter deals with nonparalytic strabismus, paralytic…
Movement Disorders
Involuntary movements are usually associated with abnormalities of the basal ganglia and their connections and occur in several different neurological disorders. Abnormal movements can be the main or initial features…
Monoplegia
Weakness or paralysis of a limb is usually due to pathology of the spine and the proximal portion of nerves. Monoplegia may also be the initial presentation of a hemiplegia,…
Paraplegia and Quadriplegia
In this text, the term paraplegia denotes partial or complete weakness of both legs, and the term quadriplegia denotes partial or complete weakness of all limbs, thereby obviating need for…
The Hypotonic Infant
Tone is the resistance of muscle to stretch. Clinicians test two kinds of tone: phasic and postural. Phasic tone is a rapid contraction in response to a high-intensity stretch (deep…
Hemiplegia
The approach to children with hemiplegia must distinguish between acute hemiplegia, in which weakness develops within a few hours, and chronic progressive hemiplegia, in which weakness evolves over days, weeks,…
Cramps, Muscle Stiffness, and Exercise Intolerance
A cramp is an involuntary painful contraction of a muscle or part of a muscle. Cramps can occur in normal children during or after vigorous exercise, and after excessive loss…
Sensory and Autonomic Disturbances
This chapter deals primarily with sensory disturbances of the limbs and trunk. Autonomic dysfunction is often associated with sensory loss but sometimes occurs alone. Chapter 17 considers sensory disturbances of…
