Handedness switching as a presenting sign for pediatric low-grade gliomas: An insight into brain plasticity from a short case series

Abstract

PURPOSE: To describe clinical data, rehabilitation services, and outcomes of children with handedness switching as their presenting symptom before low-grade glioma (LGG) diagnosis. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for five patients (four female and four white) with LGG and confirmed handedness switching before LGG diagnosis. RESULTS: All children were less than 8 years at diagnosis, and two patients were less than 3 years. All children were initially right-handed and experienced loss of motor function, ranging from weakness to paresis, in their dominant hand. The median time from switching handedness to diagnosis was 1 month (range: 0.75–60 months). Rehabilitation was offered for three patients, and motor function deficits in the initial dominant hand were resolved in two of the total cohort. At long-term follow-up, hand dominance returned to the initial hand in three patients. CONCLUSIONS: Handedness switching should be acknowledged as a potential sign of LGG in children, and early long-term rehabilitation services should be offered for these children.