Dominant use of the left hand by athetotic cerebral palsied children.

Hand preference was studied in 57 children with athetotic cerebral palsy. A left-sided preference was seen in 61% of the subjects. In more severely affected children for whom the possible cause was asphyxia, the left-sided preference was especially common. The perinatal brain damage causing athetosis may affect a motor system controlling movement on the right side more severely.