athetosis

9.9

A condition that causes slow, continuous, uncontrolled twisting movements often of the hands and feet

noun
/əˈθiːtəʊsɪs/

Specialized

: athetosis

Children with cerebral palsy sometimes display athetosis affecting their hands and facial muscles.

Examples

The patient exhibited clear signs of athetosis during the neurological examination.
The patient was diagnosed with athetosis after the examination.
Athetosis can make writing and other fine motor tasks challenging.
Don't underestimate the challenges of athetosis!
Athetosis can make writing and other fine motor tasks challenging.
The patient exhibited clear signs of athetosis during the neurological examination.
Children with cerebral palsy sometimes display athetosis affecting their hands and facial muscles.

Synonyms

dyskinesia

vsathetosis

Specialized

2 9.9

Movements of the body that happen without a person controlling them, often fast or jerky

is a specific form with slow continuous writhing movements often in hands and feet

Antonyms

stability

283 3.1

Being steady and not likely to change

How Severe

athetosis

Specialized

9.9

dyskinesia

Specialized

2 9.9

Surface Forms

athetosis singular

athetoses plural

Morphology

athetosis = a + theto + osis

Built from Greek combining elements (a- + theto + -osis); the central combining form is not a standalone English word and the medical sense is not recoverable by typical learners.

Etymology

Athetosis comes from Greek parts a- meaning 'not' and thetos meaning 'placed' or 'in position'. So it literally means 'not in a fixed position', which helps you remember the condition where the hands and feet make slow, continuous movements that you cannot control.