Clinical assessment of tics

Neurobehavioral Assessment of Children and Adolescents Attending a Developmental Disabilities Clinic

Although the risk of the eventual development of tardive dyskinesia and other persistent adverse effects of neuroleptics is high, among adults with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities, neuroleptics may ameliorate dyskinesias, aggression, and inattention. The effects of traditional neuroleptics on a comparable population of children and adolescents with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities are unknown. The objective of this study was to develop an assessment battery to describe the effects of traditional neuroleptics on the behavior and movements of a small sample of children and adolescents with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. 13 children and adolescents aged 6 to 16 years attending a developmental disabilities clinic were evaluated utilizing a Movement Assessment Battery to measure behavior and motions. Five subjects took traditional neuroleptic medications. Trained raters can reliably assess the movements and behaviors of children and adolescents with multiple handicaps. Children and adolescents with developmental disabilities may be vulnerable to experience functional impairment and akathisia, tics, and other dyskinesias when administered traditional neuroleptic medications.

Four oral motor disorders: bruxism, dystonia, dyskinesia and drug-induced dystonic extrapyramidal reactions

This article reviews four of the involuntary hyperkinetic motor disorders that affect the orofacial region: bruxism, orofacial dystonia, oromandibular dyskinesia, and medication-induced extrapyramidal syndrome-dystonic reactions. It discusses and contrasts the clinical features and management strategies for spontaneous, primary, and drug-induced motor disorders in the orofacial region. The article provides a list of medications that have been reported to cause drug-related extrapyramidal motor activity, and discusses briefly the genetic and traumatic events that are associated with spontaneous dystonia. Finally, it presents an approach for management of the orofacial motor disorders. The contraindications, side effects, and usual approach for medications and injections are covered. An overview of the indications, contraindications, and complications of using botulinum toxin as a therapeutic modality is discussed briefly.