The Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) has been proposed as one of the early neurological examination tools for the diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP). The aim of the present study was to critically review the existing literature and our experience with the use of the HINE in infants at risk of CP. The published papers confirm that the HINE can play an important role in the diagnosis and prognosis of infants at risk of developing CP, and provide information on aspects of neurological findings impaired in different forms of CP and brain lesions. What this paper adds Review of the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) in the early diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP). The HINE can be reliably used to assess infants at neurological risk, both preterm and term born. The HINE identifies early signs of CP in infants with neonatal brain lesions. Longitudinal assessments will allow differentiation of transient and more permanent abnormalities. This article is commented on by Haataja on page 219 of this issue.