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Ataxia, ophthalmoplegia, and impairment of consciousness in a 19-month-old American boy
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Ataxia, ophthalmoplegia, and impairment of consciousness in a 19-month-old American boy

Gediminas Gliebus, Eric N Faerber, Ignacio Valencia, Divya S Khurana, Sabina B Singh and Agustín Legido
Seminars in pediatric neurology, v 21(2), pp 139-143
Jun 2014
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spen.2014.04.015
PMID: 25149949
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel

Abstract

Ataxia - diagnosis Ataxia - pathology Ataxia - physiopathology Consciousness Disorders - diagnosis Consciousness Disorders - pathology Consciousness Disorders - physiopathology Diagnosis, Differential Humans Infant Magnetic Resonance Imaging Male Ophthalmoplegia - diagnosis Ophthalmoplegia - pathology Ophthalmoplegia - physiopathology Thiamine - administration & dosage Thiamine Deficiency - diagnosis Thiamine Deficiency - pathology Thiamine Deficiency - physiopathology Thiamine Deficiency - therapy United States
A 19-month-old, white, Pennsylvanian boy, with an unremarkable medical history, presented to our hospital with a 3-week history of nonbloody, nonbilious emesis up to 5 times a day and nonbloody diarrhea. Ten days before admission, his gait became progressively unsteady, until he finally refused to walk. A day before admission, he found it difficult to move his eyes. The patient was hypoactive. History, physical and neurologic examination, blood and cerebrospinal (CSF) fluid studies, and neuroimaging studies ruled out the most frequent causes of acute ataxia. The etiology of bilateral, complete ophthalmoplegia was also taken into consideration. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of bilateral thalami and mammillary bodies provided diagnostic clues. Additional history and specific tests established the final diagnosis and treatment plan. The patient improved to a normal neurologic state. This case provides important practical information about an unusual malnutrition cause of acute ataxia, particularly in young children of developing countries.

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Web of Science research areas
Clinical Neurology
Pediatrics
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