clinical features

Last reviewed 01/2018

Features include:

  • involuntary movements affecting mainly the face and limbs and may be unilateral.
  • movements disappear during sleep.
  • chorea is characterised by involuntary movements that gradually become severe. Eventually these may affect all motor activities.
  • on examination:
    • may exhibit the pronator sign - the tendency to pronate the hands when extending the arms above the head.
    • if the child squeezes the examiner's hand irregular contractions of the fingers may be felt.
    • pendular knee jerk reflexes.
    • the projected tongue looks like a bag of worms.
  • patients with chorea may exhibit emotional lability.