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Living with Paroxysmal dyskinesia

A group of rare movement conditions with short, repeated bouts of involuntary movements.

Understanding Paroxysmal dyskinesia

Paroxysmal dyskinesia is a group of rare movement disorders with brief, repeated episodes of involuntary movement.

The episodes come and go and last only a short time. The group includes paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD), paroxysmal non-kinesigenic dyskinesia (PNKD), paroxysmal exertion-induced dyskinesia (PED), and a variant of PKD called ICCA syndrome. GARD lists the onset as childhood.

Signs & symptoms

GARD doesn't list specific symptoms, but the summary describes:

  • Brief episodes of involuntary movements
  • Episodes that repeat over time

Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.

Diagnosis

  1. Talk with your doctor

    Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.

  2. See a specialist

    Specialists who may be involved include brain and nervous system specialists and genetic specialists.

  3. Ask which tests can help

    Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.

  4. Connect with expert centers

    Dystonia Medical Research Foundation may keep lists of experts for this condition.

Care & treatment

Care team
Brain and nervous system specialists (neurologists); Genetic specialists (geneticists)
Expert care
Expert lists: Dystonia Medical Research Foundation
Treatment
GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
Research
Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.

General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.

Everyday life

Living with a rare condition is easier with support.

  • Connect with Dystonia Medical Research Foundation
  • Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
  • Ask about patient registries that help research
  • Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Bring these questions to your next doctor visit
Which type of paroxysmal dyskinesia do I or my child have?
What triggers should we try to avoid?
Which medicines might reduce the episodes?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startChild
InheritanceAutosomal Dominant

Changes in the genes (also called variants) cause this condition. It is autosomal dominant, which means one changed copy of the gene is enough to cause it. GARD doesn't list a specific gene.

GeneticNeurological

Also known as: involuntary dystonic or choreiform movements; paroxysmal choreoathetosis; paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis

Patient organizations

Broader rare-disease groups

Source: NIH GARD · Paroxysmal dyskinesiaGARD ID 18721 · GARD page updated September 2026 · Plain-language summary by Know Rare; editorial review pending. General information, not medical advice.

You are more than your diagnosis

Perspectives from people navigating life with Paroxysmal dyskinesia.

Explore the Paroxysmal dyskinesia blog

Explore research for Paroxysmal dyskinesia

Explore actively recruiting Paroxysmal dyskinesia studies with HealthSpark.

HealthSpark

Find actively recruiting studies for Paroxysmal dyskinesia with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.

  • Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
  • Share your city to look for research near you
  • Eligibility is confirmed by the study team

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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.

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