Main Body
1 Introduction to neuromotor disorders
Learning Objectives
- Describe the different features of motor dysfunction in children with neuromotor disorders.
- Be aware of basic seizure safety protocols.
Introduction to neuromotor disorders
A neuromotor disorder is a developmental or acquired condition that typically affects movement, gross motor ability, posture, and fine motor ability. Neuromotor disorders are caused by damage to the central nervous system. This could be due to problems with development or injury to the developing motor pathways in the cortex, basal ganglia, thalamus, cerebellum, brainstem, or spinal cord. The most common neuromotor disorders in childhood include cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and spina bifida. The impairment may be static (not getting worse) or progressive. Children may present with a combination of problems including weakness, problems with muscle tone, muscle contractures, sensory impairments, cognitive difficulties, and other medical conditions. There is a great amount of variability between the different disorders, and also great variability in the presenting characteristics among individuals with a given diagnosis.
The NIH-funded Taskforce on Childhood Motor Disorders[1] provided definitions related to terminology associated with childhood movement disorders:
- Hypertonia – increased resistance of the muscle to movement. It may be caused by spasticity, dystonia, rigidity, or a combination of the two.
- Spasticity – resistance of the muscle is variable depending on the velocity of movement.
- Rigidity – frequently occurs in Parkinson’s Disease in adults, but rarely occurs in children.
- Dystonia – a movement disorder in which involuntary muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements, abnormal postures, or both. Dystonia frequently co-occurs with athetosis, problems with manual dexterity, problems with oromotor function, and abnormalities of eye movement.
Seizure safety
Key Takeaways
- Neuromotor disorders are caused by damage to the central nervous system.
- Neuromotor disorders typically impact muscle tone.
- Neuromotor disorders often co-occur with other medical conditions and learning challenges. Seizures disorders are common.
Resources for Further Learning
Movement disorders
- Sunny Hill Movement Disorders e-learning course (free & available to the general public)
Epilepsy
- Sanger, T.D.,Delgado, M.R., Gaebler-Spira, D.,Hallett, M., & Mink, J.W., (2003). Classification and Definition of Disorders Causing Hypertonia in Childhood, Pediatrics, 111(1), e89-e97. ↵
- Christensen, D., Van Naarden Braun, K., Doernberg, N. S., et. al. (2014). Prevalence of cerebral palsy, co-occurring autism spectrum disorders, and motor functioning – Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, USA, 2008. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 56(1), 59–65. ↵
