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MACASAET, MERCADO, NARANJA, NG UERM2015B 1 of 6
5.2.1 NEURO EXAM
Jan 14, 2014 Dr. Panlilio
Legend: Nelsons/DelMundo/Adams Italic - Recording PPT/ 2015B
Pedia I Trans
NOTE: No trans from previous batch. This was discussed in
passing and was given as a reading assignment.
THE NEUROLOGIC EXAM
History Taking
A. History - most important component of child evaluation
- Children > 3-4 years old can already contribute to their
history
- Obtain a comprehensive review of the function and interaction
of the organ systems
o CNS abnormalities may first present with symptoms of other
systems
B. Chief complaint - concise and should be within the
developmental context.
- a parent may complain that the child cannot talk yet. The
seriousness of this problem depends on the childs age, parent-child
interaction, full auditory system, and intellectual level of the
child.
C. History of Present Illness D. Birth history includes:
- review of pregnancy, labor, delivery, and congenital disorders
seen
- Mothers smoking and alcohol consumption, toxin exposure, and
drug use as well.
- Fetal activity in utero - Mothers postpartum health - Birth
weight, length, head circumference
o Among the three, the most important reference neurologically
is the head circumference
- APGAR score - Sleep patterns, nature of cry and suck,
general well-being E. Developmental milestones (see
Appendix)
- Most important component of neurologic history. Pediatric
history will have a different important component. So in the
quiz/exam, neurologic is changed to pediatric, developmental
milestones.
- Tells you whether there is a global developmental delay vs. an
isolated motor delay, slow or delayed vs. loss of skill or
regression.
- Patterns of developmental abnormality:
o Abnormality from birth intrauterine or perinatal cause.
o Abnormality of the nervous system slow rate of skill
acquisition in infancy or childhood
o Degenerative disease of the CNS loss of already acquired
skills (regression)
F. Family History includes ages and well-being of all close
relatives, neuro diseases (epilepsy, migraine, stroke,
developmental delay), other heredofamilial disorders.
- sex and age of death of miscarriages or live born siblings
- postmortem examinations of dead siblings
- consanguineous marriage of parents G. Social History
- School performance - Personality - Social relationships
Neurologic Exam Proper Observe patient:
o when interacting with parents, playing, or by him/herself.
o Facies, posture, gait disturbance, hemiparesis. o Attention
disorders, lethargy, lack of
environmental awareness Setting must be neutral and enjoyable
for the child.
Cooperation is essential. Assess: mental status, cognitive
function, alertness,
muscles power and tone, hearing, Newborn alertness:
o Level depends on time of last feeding, room temperature, and
the gestational age.
o < 28 wks old do not consistently demonstrate periods of
alertness
o Older infant gentle physical stimulation can be applied, which
will result to a brief period of alertness.
o Term babies have more developed waking and sleeping
patterns.
A. HEAD
o Size and shape Tower head/ oxycephalic -
premature suture closure and is associated with various
inherited craniosynostosis
Broad forehead hydrocephalus Square/box shaped skull fluid
in
subdural spaces causing middle fossa enlargement -> chronic
subdural hematoma
Macrocephaly - o Venous pattern
Marked venous distention may be due to increased ICP and/or
thrombosis of the superior sagittal sinus
o Fontanels normally slightly depressed and pulsatile. Best
evaluated when infant is upright.
Posterior - closes at 6-8wks. - Persistence suggests
underlying hydrocephalus or congenital hypothyroidism.
Anterior - 2 x 2cm - Closes at 9-18months
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- Small/absent = premature fusion = microcephaly
- Bulging = increased ICP o Sutures and skull bones
Assessed through palpation Marked overriding = underlying
brain abnormality Craniotabes softening of the
parietal bone; associated with prematurity.
o Cranial bruit Assessed through auscultation
using stethoscope diaphragm Auscultate over temporal and
carotid
areas Prominent over anterior fontanel,
temporal region, orbits Normal bruit soft, symmetric,
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3. note deviation of eyes during turn towards the direction of
rotation and on stopping quick phase nystagmus backwards
(optokinetic nystagmus)
o CALORIC TEST may also be used to evaluate vestibular function.
Abnormality suggests impaired brainstem function: valuable in
perinatal asphyxia
VII. GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL & VAGUS (CN IX & X)
Position of uvula at rest, quality of voice, palatal movements
during phonation
Gag reflex absent in 1/3 of healthy individuals; may be absent
in normal babies
Swallowing and drooling Taste sensation (posterior 1/3 of
tongue) An isolated lesion of CN IX is RARE
VIII. SPINAL ACCESSORY (CN XI)
Note movements of head side-to-side, shrugging and symmetry of
shoulders in young children
Strength of muscles (through palpation) and against resistance
in older children
Motor neuron disease, myotonic dystrophy, and myasthenia gravis
are the most common conditions producing weakness and atrophy of
these muscles
IX. HYPOGLOSSAL (CN XII)
Assess motility, size, shape, and presence of
atrophy/fasciculations of the tongue
Bilateral injury - no tongue protrusion, + dysphagia
Werdnig-Hoffmann disease - infantile spinal
muscular atrophy, or SMA type 1; presents as a floppy infant
D. MOTOR EXAM
Observe childs posture, movements when walking and running
HYPOTONIA most common abnormality of tone in neurologically
compromised patients
o Slipping through armpit on vertical suspension
o Head lag on pull-to-sit (NO traction response) HYPERTONIA
o Notable resistance to passive movements on joints
o Varying degrees of posture (e.g. opisthotonus) o Fisting;
buried or cortical thumbs
I. POWER/ STRENGTH Pronator sign: sensitive test for weakness;
hypotonic
hand hyperpronates MUSCLE POWER
0 no muscle contraction 1 flicker or trace of contraction 2
active movement, gravity eliminated 3 active movement against
gravity 4 active movement against gravity and resistance 5 normal
power
Muscle power in infants and small children relies on age
appropriate gross and fine motor milestones
Symmetries of movement Distal power: can be tested by evaluating
the palmar
grasp Gowers sign Include muscles of respiration - observe the
action of
the intercostal muscles and diaphragmatic movement
II. TONE Degree of joint/muscle resistance. Remember that it
is
different from strength Muscle tone increases with age Scarf
sign: when the upper extremity of a normal
term infant is pulled gently across the chest, the elbow
normally does not quite reach the midsternum
o Elbow of a hypotonic infant extends beyond the midline with
ease
Pull-to-sit / head control test: for infants > 4months
old.
Vertical suspension (holding patient at armpits) Horizontal
suspension (prone position, holding at
abdomen) 28 wks AOG extremities are still extended 32 wks AOG
flexion is evident particularly in the
lower extremities First 3 months normal hypotonia 8-22 months
decrease in flexor tone and increase in
extensor tone
Spasticity - Initial resistance to passive movement followed by
sudden release (clasp knife phenomenon)
o Spastic lower extremities = drag legs while crawling or
walking in tiptoe.
o Opisthotonos head and heels bent backward and body bent
forward; evident in patients with marked spasticity.
Clonus sudden dorsiflexion of the foot with knee partially
flexed.
o UMN lesion o Sustained clonus always abnormal o 5-10 beats
normal clonus in newborns
unless asymmetric Rigidity constant resistance to passive
movement of
both extensors and flexors o Cogwheel sensation o Does not give
way unlike in spasticity o Decerebrate rigidity injury to the
brainstem
at the level of the superior colliculi = marked extension of
extremities
III. MOTILITY AND LOCOMOTION < 32 wks AOG random, slow,
writhing movements
interspersed with rapid, myoclonic-like activity of the
extremities.
> 32 wks AOG flexion is the primary motor activity Ataxia
incoordination of movement/ balance.
o Truncal ataxia unsteadiness during sitting or standing;
cerebellar vermis lesion
o Intention tremor cerebellar hemispheres
IV. REFLEXES Table 2. Primitive Reflexes
Normal Neurologic Development
Fig. 1. Development of dendrites. Upper row, left to right: 1
month premature
(8 months gestation); newborn at term; 1 month; 3 months; and 6
months.
Lower row, left to right: 15 months; 2 years; 4 years; 6 years.
Full dendritic
development: 2-3 years.
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Myelogenetic chronology (please see Appendix) parallel index of
development and maturation of the nervous system and is apparently
related to the functional activity of the fiber systems.
Fig. 2. Organ growth curves. From 0-2 years, brain development
is at maximum then goes into plateau. The lymphoid organs peak
between 5-10 years, thats why tonsillitis is most common at this
time.
Soft Neurologic Signs Abnormal performance on a motor or sensory
test that is
not age appropriate Persistence of these signs indicate close
follow up of the
child Neurologic dysfunction presence and persistence of two
or more soft neurologic signs (attention deficit disorder,
learning problem, or cerebral palsy)
Always correlate with age as there are, for example, some
movements abnormal for a 7 y/o but normal for a 4 y/o.
Non-localizable and age-dependent Cut-off age for most is at 6
years Persistence is generally considered abnormal MOST COMMON are
the following:
o Choreiform movements o Jerky ocular pursuit o Motor
impersistence o Reflex asymmetry o Gross and fine motor
incoordination o Right/left disorientation o Inability to
distinguish double tactile
stimulation o Synkinesia (disappears by 9 years)
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APPENDIX
Screening Scheme for Developmental Delay: Upper Range
Guidelines with regard to the upper range of normal skills that
are usually recalled by the parents and that, if not present,
should alert the physician.
AGE
(months)
GROSS MOTOR FINE MOTOR SOCIAL SKILLS LANGUAGE
3 Supports weight on
forearms
Opens hands
spontaneously
Smiles appropriately Coos, laughs
6 Sits momentarily Transfers objects Shows likes/dislikes
Babbles
9 Pulls to stand Pincer grasp Plays pat-a-cake, peek-
a-boo
Imitates sound
12 Walks with one hand
held
Releases an object on
command
Comes when called 1-2 meaningful
words
18 Walks upstairs with
assistance
Feeds from a spoon Mimics actions of
others
At least 6 words
24 Runs Builds tower of 6 blocks Plays with others 2-3 word
sentences
MYELOGENETIC CHRONOLOGY
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SUMMARY OF DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES