Movement Disorders in Children

Book & DVD. This book covers a wide range of disease conditions that are characterised by involuntary movements possibly associated with signs of more diffuse dysfunction of the nervous system. These include both genetically determined and acquired conditions, running a clinical course that may be progressive, static, or paroxysmal. Recent years have witnessed growing interest in the movement disorders of children. There has been an increase in our understanding of the pathogenesis of these disorders, and new perspectives for their diagnosis and treatment have emerged. This book aims to provide neurologists, paediatricians, and specialists in developmental medicine with a comprehensive update on these issues. The more recent advances on dystonias, neurotransmitter disorders, chorea and PANDAS, tics and Tourette syndrome, paroxysmal dyskinesias, psychogenetic movement disorders and other specific syndromes and diseases -- such as opsoclonus-myoclonus, rapid onset dystonia-parkinsonism, pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration and Rett syndromes -- are illustrated, and current topics on genetics, biochemistry, brain imaging, physiological investigations, quantitative assessment, and the pharmacological and surgical treatment of childhood movement disorders are covered. The book also includes rich video documentation which we trust may be a helpful and crucial contribution for all professionals involved in the field of movement disorders, where the correct semiologic definition of the different conditions is one of the most important but problematic steps in the diagnostic work-up.