title: Abnormalities on the neurological examination and EEG in young children with pervasive developmental disorders.
abstract: This study examined the nature and frequency of neurological and EEG abnormalities in 60 young children (ages 2-6 years) with pervasive developmental disorders. A number of standard neurological functions could not be adequately assessed due to the young age of the children and/or limited comprehension and cooperation. The most common neurological deficits were hyporeflexia, stereotypies, and hypotonia. EEG abnormalities were identified in 32% of the children while only two children were known to have clinical seizures. The frequency of cases with hypotonia or hyporeflexia was more common than in older children with this diagnosis. Results also indicate that EEG abnormalities are common in this young population but clinical seizures are rare, confirming other studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. natacha@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Natacha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akshoomoff
authors.forename: Nikdokht
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Farid
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Courchesne
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haas
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D012021:Reflex, Abnormal / Q000502:physiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index