Hyperkinetic Disorders in Childhood

Abstract

Movement disorders in children are symptoms that can be caused by many different diseases. Movement disorders are typically classified into primary and secondary disorders [1]. Primary movement disorders are conditions in which the movement disorder is the major symptom of a genetic or presumed genetic disorder. Secondary movement disorders are conditions in which the movement disorder is an expression of an underlying disease that may include other signs and symptoms, and which may be due to an acquired injury, infection, toxin, or metabolic process. Most movement disorders in children are secondary. One of the particular complicating factors of movement disorders in childhood is that several different disorders may coexist in the same child, making diagnosis difficult. In addition, many different etiologies can lead to the same disorder, and the same etiology can lead to different movement disorders in different children, or in the same child at a different age. Nevertheless, a thorough understanding of the different types of movement disorder, their possible causes, and the different types of expression that may occur in children is essential to guiding clinical practice for both diagnosis and effective treatment.