Concurrence of congenital ocular motor apraxia and other motor problems: an expanded syndrome

Abstract

The records of all cases of congenital ocular motor apraxia diagnosed by the Ophthalmology Department at the Children's Hospital, Boston, over the past 25 years were reviewed to ascertain other problems with motor organization. There were eight boys and two girls, ranging in age from eight months to 2 1/2 years at diagnosis. Eight of the 10 had evidence of oral motor planning problems which significantly affected their speech output. Five had evidence of awkwardness or clumsiness, suggesting difficulties with gross motor organization as well. This concurrence of motor planning problems in at least two spheres, ocular motor and oral motor, suggests more general difficulties with motor organization in this syndrome. In all cases for whom data were available the ocular motor problems resolved but oral motor problems persisted.