Visual impairment due to a dyskinetic eye movement disorder in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy

Neurological lesions that cause dyskinetic cerebral palsy (CP) commonly inv olve ocular movements. This report describes a group of 14 children (nine m ales, five females) whose CP is associated with severe dyskinetic eye movem ents. Ages ranged from 4 months to 13 years (mean 6.9 years). Clinical feat ures of this eye movement disorder are discussed and defined. The visual fu nction of these children is slow, variable, and highly inefficient. They ar e often misdiagnosed as blind, due to cortical visual impairment. Early rec ognition of dyskinetic eye moment disorder and appropriate developmental an d educational management are important.