Diagnosis of Functional Weakness and Functional Gait Disorders in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Functional neurological disorder is neurological dysfunction not primarily explained by pathophysiologic or structural abnormalities and can present in children and adolescents with limb weakness, gait abnormality, non-epileptic seizures or sensory changes. In this review article we focus primarily on the diagnosis of functional limb weakness and functional gait disorders, and how to differentiate functional neurological disorders from structural or pathologic neurological presentations of weakness or gait disturbance. Detailed history and attentive observation of a patient outside of the formal neurological examination can be pertinent to identifying inconsistency and incongruency in keeping with functional neurological presentations. Understanding of structural and physiologic neurological pathology is required to identify non-anatomical and non-pathological features consistent with a diagnosis of functional neurological disorder. Diagnosis is made on recognition of positive clinical features of a functional disorder on examination and is not based primarily on exclusion of a pathologic neurological disorder. Specific tests can be performed to elicit pathognomonic findings supportive of a diagnosis of functional limb weakness and gait disorders.