A Handbook of Neurological Investigations in Children

Neurological disorders in children are common: families want to know what is wrong, why it happened, and whether it will happen again. Management and treatment depend on establishing the diagnosis, which usually requires investigations, but the number of possible neurological investigations is now very large indeed, and uncritical investigations may be seriously misleading and often costly. This book, based on the authors' vast combined personal experience, gives practical guidance on how to target any specific condition with the minimum of tests.   Part 1 is a brief distillation of advice on clinical history and examination, introducing the problems that beset those who deal with neurological disorders in childhood. Part 2 outlines the investigations available to solve these diagnostic problems. Part 3 takes a problem-oriented approach to the most appropriate investigations in the various clinical scenarios that may present to the practitioner: the starting point is the patient's presentation, not the diagnosis. Throughout, vignettes of real cases help to illustrate the use of the tests in different clinical situations.   The authors co-wrote the hugely popular Handbook of Neurological Investigations ("the Blue Book") 20 years ago. This new book, while closely following the highly successful approach of the earlier title, is thoroughly up to date, with fresh material, new case vignettes, and additional investigations covered. Contents (contributors where applicable) FOREWORD Robert Rust INTRODUCTION   PART 1. CLINICAL APPROACH 1. History highlights 2. Examination essentials   PART 2. INVESTIGATIONS 1. Video 2. Electroencephalography 3. Electromyography and nerve conduction 4. Evoked potentials 5. Structural imaging 6. Functional imaging 7. Cerebrospinal fluid 8. Cardiac tests 9. Autonomic function 10. Histology: cells and biopsies 11. Microbiology 12. Haematology 13. Immunology 14. Genetic investigations 15. Biochemistry 16. Anti-epileptic drug monitoring 17. Diagnosis by therapeutic trial 18. Miscellaneous   PART 3. DISORDERS OR DISEASES 1. Neonatal seizures 2. Abnormal neonatal neurology 3. Flat baby 4. Non-development 5. Stiff baby 6. Floppy baby 7. Delayed infant 8. Unresponsive infant 9. Wobbly eyed baby 10. Small head 11. Large head 12. ‘Cerebral palsy' 13. Peculiar gait 14. Learning difficulties 15. Speech and language disorders 16. Psychiatric disorders 17. Epileptic seizures and epilepsy 18. Febrile seizures 19. Paroxysmal disorders 20. Epileptic with non-epileptic disorders 21. Acquired neurological defects 22. Acute encephalopathy 23. Headache 24. Weakness and fatigue 25. Ataxia 26. Movement disorders 27. Progressive loss of skills 28. Dementia 29. Rare treatable disorders   APPENDICES 1. Predictive value of investigation results 2. Some normal values 3. Sources for unusual investigations 4. Internet resources 5. Case history diagnoses   REFERENCES   INDICES 1. Index of investigations 2. Index of disorders