Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Physical Therapy - Department of Growth and Developmental Disorders in Pediatrics

Objective: The study was conducted to correlate and compare between two different hand positions and cortical sensation in the form of stereognosis scoring in both dominant and non dominant hands of normal children in order to determine the effect of altered hand position on stereognosis. Subjects: Two hundred normal developing children aged from 6 to 8 years participated in the study. They didn{u2019}t have any palmer injury or recent wound. Methods: Stereognosis was tested using Nottingham Sensory Assessment Scale. Children were instructed to identify ten different familiar objects while being blind folded in a maximum 15 seconds for each object. The assessment procedures were done from two different hand positions (4 times); the first position represented the normal functional free hand position while the second was the flexion hand position which simulating the hemiplegic pattern. Both dominant and non dominant hands were included in the assessment process. Results: There were statistically significant correlation between stereognosis scoring of dominant hand and non dominant one in both flexion and functional hand position and there were statistically significant difference between scoring of functional hand position and hemiplegic flexion one in both dominant and non dominant hands. While there was no statistically significant difference between functional position of dominant hand and non dominant one, there was statistically significant difference between flexion position of dominant hand and non dominant one. Conclusion: From the obtained results of this study, it can be concluded that altered hand position and decreased its mobility affect stereognosis even if there is no problem in the cortical parietal lobe area

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