Delayed-onset dyskinetic 'cerebral palsy--a late effect of perinatal asphyxia?

A 12-year-old girl, born full term after severe pre- and peripartal asphyxia, with transient abnormal newborn neurology and slight motor development deviations but no cerebral palsy syndrome, is described. At the age of 5, she developed a slowly progressive dyskinetic hemisyndrome, initially uncoordinated hyperkinetic movements in her left arm, dystonic posturing then supervened. Since the age of 11, her right side had also slowly become involved. As extensive examinations excluded other causes, it is concluded that this case represents a delayed onset dyskinetic 'CP-syndrome' subsequent to a postanoxic non-progressive insult to the basal ganglia, but with a well compensated functional integrity before the age of 5.