In evaluating the individual with a suspected form of hyperkinesia, the physician will record a thorough medical history, including a clear description of the movements in question, medications prescribed in the past and present, family history of similar diseases, medical history, including past infections, and any past exposure to toxic chemicals. Hyperkinesia is a defining feature of many childhood movement disorders, yet distinctly differs from both hypertonia and negative signs, which are also typically involved in such disorders. Several prominent forms of hyperkinetic movements include:

Ataxia
The term ataxia refers to a group of progressive neurological diseases that alter coordination and balance. Ataxias are often characterized by poor coordination of hand and eye movements, speech problems, and a wide-set, unsteady gait. Possible causes of ataxias may include stroke, tumor, infection, trauma, or degenerative changes in the cerebellum. These types of hyperkinetic movements can be further classified into two groups. The first group, hereditary ataxias, affect the cerebellum and spinal cord and are passed from one generation to the next through a defective gene. A common hereditary ataxia is Friedreichs ataxia. in contrast, sporadic ataxias occur spontaneously in individuals with no known family history of such movement disorders. Athetosis
Athetosis is defined as a slow, continuous, involuntary writhing movement that prevents the individual from maintaining a stable posture. These are smooth, nonrhythmic movements that appear random and are not composed of any recognizable sub-movements. They mainly involve the distal extremities, but can also involve the face, neck, and trunk.
Contact stomatitis is inflammation or pain of the oral mucosa caused by external stimuli. It is characterized by cutaneous lesions that may be located where the offending agent contacts the mucosa for a prolonged time. Oftentimes it presents in the mouth after contact with hot food or from ill-fitted dentures or other irritant. Consequently, patients may seek resolve from their dentist rather than a dermatologist. Unlike with allergic contact stomatitis, the skin requires no previous exposure to a stimulant before crafting an immune reaction. See also
Contact urticaria
List of cutaneous conditions


== References ==