ABSTRACT
Children may have reduced gross or fine motor control, or both. The most common causes of motor impairment in children and adolescents are cerebral palsy, spina bifida and injury from accidents. A number of illnesses and syndromes affect motor control, such as spinal muscular atrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Cerebral palsy (CP) is caused by a congenital or early acquired injury to the brain that results in various degrees of motor impairment. Spina bifida, also called cleft spine, is a congenital sac-like bulge of nerve tissue due to an incomplete closing of the vertebrae during fetal development. The impairment of primary motor functions is related to the location and size of the sac. The amount of cerebrospinal fluid around the brain and spinal cord is affected, and many children need a surgical insertion of a shunt, a valve that regulates the pressure caused by the accumulation of fluid in the brain.
