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Neuropediatrics 1999; 30(1): 8-13
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-973449
Original articles

© Hippokrates Verlag GmbH Stuttgart

Congenital Hemiplegia in Children at School Age: Assessment of Hand Function in the Non-Hemiplegic Hand and Correlation with MRI

E. Mercuri1 , Marian Jongmans2 , Helen Bouza1 , Leena Haataja1 , Mary Rutherford1 , Sheila Henderson3 , Lilly Dubowitz1
  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK,
  • 2Department of Psychology, Tilburg University, The Netherlands, and
  • 3Department of Psychology, Institute of Education, University of London, UK
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Publication History

Publication Date:
12 March 2007 (online)

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether children with congenital hemiplegia show abnormal hand function on the non-hemiplegic side and whether this, if present, can be related to the type and extent of brain lesions on MRI. Twenty-two children with congenital hemiplegia of age ranging between 4.8 and 12.3 years, were assessed with a clinical and MRI assessment. Clinical assessment included a structured neurological examination, assessment of hand grips and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children which also includes one item assessing speed and accuracy in each hand.

The results showed that 64 % of the children studied showed some degree of functional impairment of the non-hemiplegic hand. Manual dexterity 1 from the Movement ABC was, in our experience, a more sensitive tool to detect minor functional abnormalities than the evaluation of hand grips.

The severity of the impairment on the non-hemiplegic side was not significantly related to the severity of impairment in the hemiplegic hand (p > 0.05). In contrast, a significant association was found with the site of lesions as hand function in the non-hemiplegic hand was always normal in children with unilateral lesion and abnormal in the ones with bilateral parenchymal lesions (p < 0.05). Children with predominantly unilateral lesions but with bilateral ventricular dilatation or periventricular changes showed more variable results.

Key words

Hemiplegia - MRI - Movement ABC - Hand function

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