Childhood movement disorders: Clinicoetiological pattern and long-term follow-up at tertiary care center from South India

Objectives: Movement disorders are common neurological problems. There is a considerable delay in the diagnosis of movement disorders which indirectly indicates their under-recognition. The studies regarding relative frequencies and their underlying etiology are limited. Describing and classifying them with a diagnosis helps in treating the condition. To study the clinical pattern of various movement disorders in children and to establish their etiology and outcome.Materials and Methods: This observational study was conducted in tertiary care hospital from January 2018 to June 2019. Children from 2 mo. to 18 years of age presenting with involuntary movements on the first Monday of every week were included in the study. History and clinical examination were carried out with a pre-designed proforma. A diagnostic workup was done, results were analyzed to find the common movement disorders and their etiology, and follow-up was analyzed for 3 years.Results: A total of 100 cases out of 158 with known etiology were included in the study of which 52% were females and 48% were males. The mean age at presentation was 3.15 years. The various movement disorders are dystonia-39(39%), choreoathetosis-29(29%), tremors-22(22%), gratification reaction-7(7%), and shuddering attacks-4(4%). Ballismus and myoclonus were found in 3(3%) children each. Tics, stereotypes, and hypokinesia were found in 2(2%) children each. A total of 113 movement disorders were found in 100 children. Etiologically, perinatal insult was the most common cause 27(27%), followed by metabolic/genetic/hereditary causes 25(25%). Infantile tremor syndrome due to Vitamin B12 deficiency-16/22(73%), was a major contributor in children with tremors. Rheumatic chorea was less in our study 5(5%). Out of the 100 study subjects, 72 cases were followed up. Out of which 26 children have completely recovered. Based on the modified Rankins score(MRS), 7 children belong to category I, 2 children belong to category II, 1 child to category III, 6 children to category IV, and 14 children to category V of MRS. A total of 16 children have died (MRS VI).Conclusion: Perinatal insult and Infantile tremor syndrome are more important and preventable causes. Rheumatic chorea is found to be less common. A significant number of children had more than one type of movement disorder, which warrants the need to look for varied types of movement disorders in the same child. Long-term follow-up shows complete recovery in one-fourth of children and the remaining surviving with disability.