[Hypotonic cerebral palsy. Which treatment?].

Background: Aim of this study is to verify whether tonus neurophysiological and communicative-relational aspects in hypotonic subjects can be recovered by psychomotor therapy.

Methods: This case series includes two randomized groups of children with central hypotonia observed at the Department of Child Neuropsychiatry of the Gaslini Institute of Genova from February 1992 to December 1996. The 1st group includes 6 subjects treated in a local rehabilitation service only by kinesitherapy. The 2nd group includes 6 children undergoing psychomotor treatment in our Department, where all the 12 cases underwent periodical controls.

Results: Tonus physiological aspects equally improved in the two groups, whereas the improvement of the communication aspect was more marked in the second.

Conclusions: The conclusion is drawn that psychomotor therapy seems more appropriate for a global recovery of the hypotonic child.