Narrow palm

What it means

For children from birth to 4 years of age, the palm width is more than 2 SD below the mean; for children from 4 to 16 years of age the palm width is below the 5th centile; or, the width of the palm appears disproportionately narrow for its length.

Palm width is measured across the palm at the level of the MCPJ (radial aspect of the F2 MCPJ to the ulnar aspect of the F5 MCPJ). Norms are specified in [Hall et al., 2007]. Caution is advised for the subjective assessment as the breadth may be in the normal range with disproportionately increased length, which appears narrow. This finding may be associated with elongated/slender limbs in general, but that finding does not bear on the coding of this feature. Proximal narrowing may indicate small thenar or hypothenar eminences. This term replaces "narrow hands" as that term may leave the impression that it includes the thumb, which it does not.

Rare diseases that can present with this4

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Narrow hand · Narrow hands