Dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and cardiac rhythm disturbances are important features of certain neuromuscular disorders in children, adolescents, and young adults. This article summarizes the cardiac features seen in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Becker muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy, Friedreich's ataxia, and Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy. The optimal management of these cardiac features remains contentious, but increasingly these patients are referred for routine cardiological assessment in the absence of symptoms. This article examines the value of routine screening and drug interventions for cardiac complications in asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals with neuromuscular disorders. We recommend a pragmatic approach, actively looking for cardiac conditions which will benefit from early intervention, but avoiding routine screening for asymptomatic conditions in which there is no evidence of benefit from early intervention.

‘Social integration of adults with cerebral palsy’ Michelsen et al. DMCN Vol 48: 643–649

We would like to correct an error that was printed in the above mentioned article:

p 649: In Appendix 1 the values in the n columns and the percentage columns have been transposed: the values on the left are the percentages and those on the right are the n values.

We sincerely apologize for this error.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations in the TSC1 and TSC2 genes on chromosomes 9 and 16 respectively. Diagnosis is based on clinical features but can be difficult as a result of variable phenotypic expression. With the advantage of mutation analysis in making a diagnosis of TSC, and improved identification of the associated clinical features, there have been few new data on its prevalence and on the proportion of cases due to new mutations. We have performed a retrospective epidemiological study on the prevalence of TSC, the clinical features attributed to it, and the availability of mutational analysis. We identified 73 known patients with TSC (5 deceased): 39 were female and 34 male. Ages ranged from 10 months to 69 years, with a mean age of 27 years 11 months (SD 16y 10mo). The point prevalence of TSC in our study was estimated at 1 out of 24 956 on the prevalence day (30 April 2004). The majority of patients (42.5%) were diagnosed at less than 15 months of age; 25% were not given a diagnosis on first developing symptoms. In all, 93.2% had epilepsy and 71.2% had a learning disability. A mutation was identified in 95.8% of those tested (26% TSC1 and 74% TSC2). TSC2 mutations were correlated with a more severe phenotype. The new mutation rate was calculated at 64%. We conclude that the prevalence of TSC is higher than previously calculated. We recommend that all children with epilepsy be assessed for features of TSC. Larger studies will be required to assess the prevalence of mutations in each gene, and genotype–phenotype correlation.

‘Botulinum toxin as an adjunct to motor learning therapy and surgery for obstetrical brachial plexus injury’ DeMatteo et al. DMCN Vol 48: 245–252

We would like to correct two errors that were printed in the above mentioned article:

p 246: In Table II, Child 7 should have read: ‘8mo at injection’ and not ‘12mo at injection’.

p 250: In Figures 4 and 5, legend 3 should have read: ‘1mo post-BTX-A’ and not ‘1mo pre-BTX-A’.

We sincerely apologize for these errors.

‘Specific memory impairment in a multiple disabled male with fragile X syndrome and temporal lobe epilepsy’ Wouters et al. DMCN Vol 48: 378–382

We would like to correct an error that was printed in the above mentioned article:

p 379: The caption for Figure 1 should have read: ‘Z-score profiles for child 1 (fragile X syndrome [FXS] and temporal lobe epilepsy [TLE]) and child 2 (FXS) based on (a) verbal or non-verbal cognitive level or (b) chronological age…’ and not ‘Z-score profiles for child 1 (fragile X syndrome [FXS] and temporal lobe epilepsy [TLE]) and child 2 (FXS) based on (a) verbal or (b) non-verbal cognitive level or chronological age…’

We sincerely apologize for this error.

The aim of this paper is to promote the correct classification of, and provide guidelines on, the diagnosis and management of Panayiotopoulos syndrome (PS). An international consortium of established researchers in the field collaborated to produce a consensus document. The resulting document defines PS, characterizes its electro-clinical features, considers its likely pathogenesis, and provides guidance on appropriate management. We conclude that PS is a common idiopathic, benign seizure disorder of childhood, which should be classified as an autonomic epilepsy, rather than an occipital epilepsy.

Review of the definition of cerebral palsy (CP) has focused on disorders of movement and posture development that cause activity limitations. Recent research provides new insights into CP, showing that activity limitation in individuals with hemiplegic CP is not exclusively caused by disorders related to movement execution, but is also related to the planning of movements. In this review article, converging evidence is presented suggesting that, in addition to movement execution impairments, impairments in movement planning may also limit the performance of activities of daily living. Evidence from studies of fingertip-force planning and anticipatory planning in object manipulation tasks is discussed.