Sensory deficit in the hands of children with cerebral palsy: a new look at assessment and prevalence.

The sensory function of the hand was assessed in 55 children with cerebral palsy (CP) and 15 control children with lower-limb involvement after poliomyelitis by testing stereognosis and two-point discrimination. A 0 to 10 per cent error in the post-polio group defined normal limits, according to which 51 per cent of the CP group showed impairment on one or both of the tests. These results confirm those of studies carried out 30 to 40 years ago, and draw attention to a neglected aspect of CP in which the possibility of therapeutic intervention has yet to be adequately explored.