Neurological exam - Pediatric
Dear Physicians
The Corona virus has presented Neurologists with a true challenge , having to preform a full Neurological examination from afar, using digital tools.
Despite the difficulty, it is possible to preform a thorough Neurological examination, despite the hardshi, but certain elements must be taken into account that can't be done from afar, such as Ophthalmologic and Vestibular examinations, Sensory losses and slight weaknesses.
The AAN published guidelines for adults, which you can watch in the attached link. On this page you will find the a suggestion for adjusting the exam for the pediatric population, while acknowledging that different ages will need different adjustments.
Initial observation:
Dysmorphism
No signs of blunt dysmorphism
No obvious skin stains by parental report
Quality of interaction
Interaction throughout the meeting is age appropriate
Cranial nerves
Equal pupils (if possible to observe with high resolution)
Follows an object in all directions normally
Sy,metrical face , smile seems symmetrical
Central tongue , normal sounding voice, no salivation
Muscle strenth and stability
No noticable atrophy of muscles, no obvious signs of hemiparesis
Hand and Legs move in symmetry
No signs of weakness in sitting or standing
Jump is age appropriate
Cerebellar testing
No signs of dysmmetry, ataxia or nistagmus.
For the full guidelines of the AAN, click here:
Good Luck!