Evaluation of impaired function of the locomotor system and palpation of soft tissue in infants is very difficult for many obvious reasons. Thus the postural position is unstable, the muscle tone changes considerably during development, spontaneous activities such as crying and defense reactions influence the resource. In addition – central pathology is frequently difficult to quantify. The tone regulating effect of cephalic joints and adjacent muscles is much stronger than in adults and has a marked effect on the postural situation of infants. Nevertheless functional disorders in infants are known and were confirmed by ourselves by examinations of 60 infants aged from 0 to 1 year. In 21 functional disorders in the area of the cervical spine were found. It is however difficult to estimate a disfunction accurately in a particular segment. If early treatment was applied, im proved symmetry was achieved. This makes more fluent development possible, regardless whether a child without a central or with a central affection is involved.

        Key words: functional disorders in infants, examination of functional disorders in