Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Pediatric
Neurological
Examination
3. Internal
factors
also
affect
the
mood
and
response
of
the
patient
as
fever,
pain.
Introduction
To
facilitate
learning
and
retention,
the
tests
or
the
procedures
will
be
• The
bulk
of
medical
facts
learned
by
the
student
in
medical
school
is
correlated
with
the
neuroanatomic
area
being
tested.
useless
in
the
search
for
correct
diagnosis
if
an
accurate
history,
physical
and
neurologic
examination
are
not
done.
• The
procedures
and
the
interpretation
of
response
depends
on
• The
examination
starts
as
soon
as
the
patient
walks
into
the
room.
the
age
of
the
patients
Observe
the
activity
of
the
child,
the
gait.
Check
how
he
relates
with
• The
neurologic
exam
of
the
newborn
is
basically
neuromuscular
the
mother
or
companion.
testing
for
maturity.
• Continue
the
observation
while
you
are
doing
the
history.
Look
for
• In
small
infants,
examination
is
mainlya
developmental
abnormal
movements.
Listen
to
his
speech.
assessment.
• In
older
children
and
adolescents,
a
complete
neurologic
The
History
examination
may
be
done
as
in
adults.
! The
clinical
history
forms
the
most
vital
part
of
the
neurologic
The
Cerebrum
evaluation
• The
Different
Lobes
of
the
Cerebrum
! A
lot
of
times,
the
history
is
provided
by
a
historian
usually
the
mother
! Children
3
years
of
age
or
older
might
provide
valuable
or
more
reliable
information
than
his
or
her
parents.
! Learn
not
to
ask
leading
questions
and
not
to
phrase
them
to
obtain
yes
or
no
answers.
Neurologic
History
• Should
include:
– Review
of
other
organ
systems
– Maternal
and
Birth
History
– Developmental
history
– Developmental
milestones
– Feeding
history
– Immunization
history
– Sleeping
habits
– Family
history
The
Instruments
The
instruments
include
the
following:
• Measuring
Tape
–
used
to
take
head
circumference,
size
of
lesions
• The
cerebrum
is
the
largest
part
of
the
brain.
• Stethoscope
–
used
for
the
auscultation
of
neck
vessels,
eyes,
and
• It
is
the
part
of
the
brain
that
controls
thought,
memory
and
the
cranium
for
bruits
senses
• Flashlight/penlight
–
used
to
check
for
pupillary
light
reflexes,
• The
cerebrum
is
divided
into
different
lobes,
each
has
a
function
inspection
of
the
pharynx,
transillumination
of
its
own.
• Transparent
millimeter
ruler
–
used
for
measurement
of
the
pupils
and
diameter
of
the
skin
lesions
Aspects
of
Cerebral
Function
that
can
be
Tested
• Ophthalmoscope
–
used
to
examine
the
fundus
• Tongue
Blades
–
used
to
depress
the
tongue,
to
check
the
gag
• Behavior,
attention
and
concentration
reflex
and
superficial
abdominal
reflexes.
• Degree
of
awareness
and
alertness
• Opaque
vial
of
coffee
or
vanilla
–
used
to
test
sense
of
smell
• Orientation
to
time,
place
and
person
• Opaque
vials
of
salt
and
sugar
–
used
to
test
the
sense
of
taste
• Memory
• Otoscope
–
used
to
examine
the
ear
• Abstract
reasoning
• Tuning
Fork
–
used
to
check
for
vibration
sense,
ear
conduction
• Knowledge
on
general
information
(reading,
arithmetic,
spelling
(Rinne’s
and
Weber’s)
according
to
age
and
school
level)
• Cotton
Wisp
–
used
to
check
for
the
corneal
reflex
and
light
touch
• Personality
• Reflex
Hammer
–
used
to
test
for
deep
tendon
reflexes
• The
speech
–
his
articulation,
comprehension,
naming
objects
• Disposable
Straight
pins
–
used
to
test
for
pain
sensation
• Common
Objects
as
coin,
key,
pencil
–
used
to
test
for
recognition
Mental
Status
Examination
and
stereognosis
• Materials
for
developemental
testing
as
ball,
blocks,
bell,
paper,
• Sensorium
and
pencil
o Consciousness
o Attention
span
Three
Basic
Questions
in
the
approach
to
diagnosis
of
Neurological
o Orientation
to
time,
place
and
person
disorders
o Memory,
recent
and
remote
o Fund
of
information
• Does
the
child
have
a
neurologic
disorder?
o Insight,
judgment
and
planning
• If
so,
where
is
the
site
of
the
lesion,
or,
as
so
often
is
the
case
in
o Calculation
(Particularly
of
older
children
and
adults)
pediatric
neurology,
does
it
involve
all
parts
of
the
brain
to
an
equal
degree?
• Is
the
patient
normal,
hyperactive,
irritable,
quiet?
• What
is
the
nature
of
these
lesions?
The
course
of
the
illness,
be
it
• Stream
of
talk.
Is
speech
appropriate
for
the
age?
acute,
subacute,
static,
or
remitting,
may
provide
a
clue
to
the
• Mood.
Appropriate
or
not?
nature
of
the
disease
process.
• Content
of
thought-‐Illusions?
Delusions?
• Intellectual
capacity-‐
Bright?
Average?
Dull?
Retarded?
The
Neurological
Examination
Cognitive
Function-‐voice
and
picture
General
Guidelines
• Important
especially
for
developmentally
delayed
children
or
• Certain
guidelines
are
best
followed
in
the
examination
of
the
those
with
ostensibly
normal
intelligence
who
are
referred
pediatric
patient.
because
of
school
failure
1. It
is
best
to
leave
the
most
uncomfortable
parts
of
the
• Examination
is
extremely
time
consuming
and
might
require
a
examination
to
the
last.
return
visit
2. Response
of
the
patient
may
be
affected
by
external
factors
as
fear
of
strangers,
feeding
time,
discomfort
when
wet.
Printable
Version
by:
DRFermin2016
1
The
Cranial
Nerves
The
Optic
Pathway
The
12
Cranial
Nerves
o CN
I
Olfactory
o CN
II
Optic
o CN
III
Oculomotor
o CN
IV
Trochlear
o CN
V
Trigeminal
o CN
VI
Abducens
o CN
VII
Facial
o CN
VIII
Auditory
o CN
IX
Glossopharyngeal
o CN
X
Vagus
o CN
XI
Spinal
Accessory
o CN
XII
Hypoglossal
• There
are
12
bilateral
pairs
of
cranial
nerves
which
are
identified
by
the
Roman
numerals
in
rostrocaudal
order
of
their
attachment
to
the
brain.
• They
may
be
sensory
or
motor,
and
may
serve
more
than
1
function.
Optic
Nerve
(CN
2)
• Test
for
visual
acuity,
visual
fields
and
fundi
The
Cranial
Nerves
and
their
Exits
in
the
Brain
• Visual
Acuity
–
may
use
standard
charts
(Snellen,
Jaegger
or
E
chart)
for
children
above
3
year
old.
• Visual
Fields
Confrontational
Testing
–
ask
the
patient
to
look
directly
to
your
face.
Then
move
your
fingers
in
the
periphery.
In
an
intact
visual
field,
the
child
points
to
the
moving
finger.
An
attractive
colored
object
may
also
be
introduced
from
the
periphery.
With
intact
visual
field,
the
child
turns
towards
the
new
stimulus.
-‐ Visual
acuity
-‐ Visual
fields
Base
of
the
Brain
Ophthalmoscopy
Olfactory
Nerve
(CN
I)
1. Darken
the
Examination
room
2. Ask
the
patient
to
look
straight
ahead
–
it
helps
to
point
to
an
• Olfactory
sensation
as
transmitted
by
the
olfactory
nerve
is
not
attractive
object
or
picture
for
the
young
children
to
focus
functional
in
the
newborn,
but
is
present
by
5
to
7
months
of
age
3. Examine
the
patient’s
right
eye
with
you
on
the
patient’s
right
and
• Rarely
assessed
in
children,
as
they
oftentimes
cannot
follow
using
your
right
eye
and
your
right
hand
holding
the
directions
correctly.
ophthalmoscope.
The
left
hand
using
your
left
hand
with
you
on
the
patient’s
left
and
examining
the
left
eye.
• Avoid
noxious
stimuli
(e.g.,
ammonia,
vinegar)
as
these
stimulate
4. Check
the
red
orange
reflex,
vessels,
optic
discs
the
trigeminal
nerve
5. Look
for
hemorrhages,
papilledema
or
optic
atrophy.
• Loss
of
olfactory
function
can
follow
a
head
injury
with
fracture
of
the
cribriform
plate
or
when
a
tumor
involves
the
olfactory
bulbs
Optic
Nerve
(CN
2)
Funduscopy
Normal
Abnormal
Olfactory
Nerve
(CN
1)
Voiceover
• Cover
1
nostril
and
test
the
other.
• Let
the
patient
smell
coffee,
chocolate
or
vanilla.
The
Child
is
asked
to
identify
if
he
can
smell
something.
A
change
in
odor
is
adequate
for
small
children
2
• A
vibrating
tuning
fork
is
placed
over
the
patient’s
head
or
over
the
forehead.
Cranial
Nerves
3,
4
and
6
• A
normal
child
appreciates
the
sound
at
the
middle
or
equally
• Oculomotor,
Trochlear
and
Abducens
Nerves:
Extraocular
over
both
sides.
Movements
(CNs
III,
IV,
VI)
The
Rinne’s
Test
• Place
the
tuning
fork
behind
the
ear
over
the
mastoid
bone
and
just
after
the
sound
disappears,
hold
it
beside
the
ear
over
the
external
auditory
canal.
Normally,
air
conduction
is
more
effective
than
bone
conduction
and
a
normal
child
still
hears
some
sound.
Glossopharyngeal
Nerve
(CN
IX)
and
Vagus
Nerve
(CN
X)
! These
nerves
are
considered
jointly
since
they
are
examined
together
and
their
actions
are
seldom
individually
impaired.
! Check
the
palatal
movement,
swallowing,
phonation,
gag
reflex
• Have
the
child
say
“ahhh”
or
stick
the
tongue
out.
Observe
symmetry
in
movement
of
the
uvula
and
the
soft
palate.
• Gag
Reflex
–
Depress
the
patient’s
tongue
and
touch
palate,
• Oculomotor
Nerve
(CN
3)
pharynx
or
tonsil
on
one
side
until
the
patient
“gags.”
Compare
on
Trochlear
Nerve
(CN
4)
each
side.
Abducens
Nerve
(CN
6)
• Test
range
of
ocular
movements
by
having
the
patient’s
eyes
Spinal
Accessory
Nerve
(CN
11)
follow
your
finger
through
all
the
fields
of
gaze.
• Test
strength
of
head
movements
and
shoulder
shrugging
• Check
position
of
the
eyes,
limitation
in
movement,
strabismus,
• Turn
head
against
resistance
and
shrug
shoulders
nystagmus,
ptosis)
• Palpate
for
symmetry
of
muscle
bulk,
tone
and
contraction
of
the
sternocleidomastoid
and
trapezius
during
head
turning
and
Trigeminal
Nerve
(CN
5)
shoulder
elevation.
•
th
The
5
cranial
nerve
is
the
principal
sensory
nerve
of
the
head
and
Hypoglossal
Nerve
(CN
XII)
also
innervates
the
masticatory
muscles.
• This
is
a
purely
motor
nerve
that
supplies
the
intrinsic
and
• The
sensory
fibers
carry
modalities
of
temperature,
touch,
pain,
extrinsic
muscles
of
the
tongue.
pressure
and
proprioceptive
information
from
the
• If
the
nerve
is
lesioned
unilaterally,
tongue
paralysis
is
on
the
temporomandibular
joint
and
the
muscles
of
mastication.
ipsilateral
side,
the
tongue
atrophies
and
becomes
distorted.
• It
has
as
motor
and
sensory
functions
• Observe
the
position
of
the
tongue
at
rest
with
mouth
opened
and
• It
controls
several
reflexes
as
jaw
opening,
jaw
jerk;
during
protrusion.
• It
is
involved
in
blink
or
corneal
reflex
and
sucking
reflex.
•
Inspect
for
atrophy,
grooving
and
fasciculations
and
deviations.
• Test
facial
sensation
with
light
touch
and
pain
in
the
areas
of
the
face
The
Motor
Examination
• Have
the
child
chew
and
swallow
food.
Check
for
jaw
deviation.
• The
tests
assess
the
motor
areas
of
the
cerebrum.
Frontal
lobe.
• Inspect
masseter
and
temporalis
muscle
and
palpate
masseter
as
• The
initial
appraisal
of
the
motor
system
begins
as
you
take
the
the
child
bites.
history.
Check
on
the
patient’s
posture,
general
activity
level,
• Corneal
Reflex
(
5
and
7).
Ask
the
patient
to
look
to
one
side.
tremors
and
involuntary
movements.
Apply
a
wisp
of
cotton
on
the
cornea.
Normal
response
in
blinking
• Observe
his
gait.
Note
for
asymmetry,
weakness,clumsiness
or
on
tested
side.
undue
tripping.
-‐ Note
action
of
temporalis
and
masseter
muscle
• Note
for
any
asymmetry
of
muscle
bulk,
atrophy,
fasciculations.
-‐ Corneal
reflex
• Ask
the
child
to
walk
on
heels
and
toes
and
do
tandem
gait
-‐ Jaw
jerk
• If
there
is
suspicion
of
muscle
disease
check
for
Gower’s
sign.
Observe
the
child
while
arising
from
the
floor
to
a
standing
Facial
Nerve
(CN
7)
position.
From
a
sitting
position,
the
child
stands
by
pushing
the
! The
facial
nerve
has
motor
and
sensory
and
autonomic
functions.
floor
with
all
four
extremities
then
holding
on
to
his
thigh
and
! It
supplies
the
muscle
of
facial
expression.
pushing
up
to
erect
position.
This
is
seen
in
muscle
diseases.
! It
mediates
in
the
corneal
reflex
or
the
closing
of
the
eye
on
• Ensure
that
the
patient
is
relaxed
and
assess
the
tone
by
touching
of
the
cornea.
alternatively
flexing
and
extending
the
elbow
or
wrist
! It
has
parasympathetic
and
sensory
functions
subserving
the
taste
• Assess
the
muscle
strength
on
the
anterior
2/3
of
tongue
and
palate.
• Testing
for
muscle
strength
• Test
for
muscle
expression.
-‐ 0
-‐
No
muscle
contraction
• Ask
the
child
to
smile,
frown,
show
his
teeth
and
close
his
eyes.
-‐ 1
-‐
Flicker
or
trace
of
contraction
Check
for
symmetry
in
movements
–
forehead
wrinkling,
eyelid
-‐ 2
-‐
Active
movement
with
gravity
eliminated
closure,
mouth
retraction.
-‐ 3
-‐
Active
movement
against
gravity
• Test
sensation
of
taste
using
sugar
or
salt.
-‐ 4
-‐
Active
movement
against
gravity
and
resistance
-‐ 5
-‐
Normal
power
-‐ Note
for
facial
asymmetry
-‐ Distinguish
peripheral
from
central
and
peripheral
facial
Reflexes
palsy
• Deep
tendon
reflexes
–
ankle
and
knee
jerks,
brachioradialis,
-‐ Look
for
isolated
weakness
of
the
depressor
of
the
corner
of
biceps,
triceps,
pectoralis
the
mouth
(depressor
anguli
oris)
• Superficial
reflexes
– Abdominal
reflex
–
stroke
the
abdominal
wall
from
Cochlear
and
Vestibular
Nerves
(CN
8)
outside
towards
umbilicus.
The
umbilicus
should
move
• The
ability
to
turn
the
eyes
to
the
direction
of
the
sound
becomes
toward
the
area
stroked.
evident
by
7
to
8
weeks
of
age
• Developmental
Reflexes
–
Moro,
grasp,
tonic
neck,
parachute
• Turning
to
sound
with
eyes
and
head
appears
by
approximately
3
response
to
4
months
of
age
• Pathologic
Reflexes
• Do
otoscopy
– Babinski
and
its
modifications
–
Chaddock,
Bing,
• Test
for
hearing.
Use
conversational
speech,
tuning
fork,
ticking
of
Oppenheim
the
watch
or
rustling
of
fingers
• If
the
history
or
preceding
tests
suggest
a
deficit,do
air-‐bone
The
Sensory
Examination
conduction
test
of
Rinne’s
or
the
vertex
lateralizing
test
of
Weber.
• Sensory
testing
• Vestibular
Function,
if
needed,
is
tested
with
caloric
irrigation.
• Test
for
light
touch,
pain,
temperature
on
the
hands,
feet,
trunk
• Test
vibration
sense
at
knuckles,
fingernails
The
Weber’s
test
• Position
sense
of
fingers
and
toes
• Romberg’s
Test
(Swaying
test)
4