[Specific aspects of child's electroneurography and electromyography: literature and own experience]

Despite introduction of modern molecular diagnostics, electrophysiologic examinations still play an important role in the neuromuscular diseases diagnostics and in the disease course and convalescence process monitoring. EMG examination enables determination of location and character of peripheral impairment, establishment of neurogenic or myogenic impairment or neuromuscular transmission disorders and also determination if the process is acute or chronic, localized or generalized. EMG examination is also helpful in detection of subclinical pathology. In neurogenic processes it enables differentiation of spinal and peripheral nerve trunks impairment.

Electrophysiological demyelinization criteria commonly used in adults have limited application in children. In the youngest children electrodes with smaller surface and distance between the poles are used in conduction examination. This cause difficulties in interpretation of the obtained results and requires the use of own norms considering values obtained with the use of smaller stimulating and receiving electrodes. Many technical factors have to be considered in the correct evaluation of electroneurographic and electromyographic recordings, which in adults have significantly lower influence on the results interpretation. Normal EMG result in a small infant does not exclude myopathy especially congenital myopathy. On account of child anxiety usually accompanying the examination the scheme of EMG examination should be elastic.

Authors illustrated specificity of these problems in children with own results.