Acute Ataxia in Childhood: 11-Year Experience at a Major Pediatric Neurology Referral Center

J Child Neurol. 2016 Aug;31(9):1156-60. doi: 10.1177/0883073816643407. Epub 2016 Apr 12.

Abstract

We categorized the causes of acute ataxia in the pediatric population-referred to the Division of Neurology-at a large, urban pediatric medical center. Of the 120 cases identified over the past 11 years, post-infectious cerebellar ataxia was the most commonly diagnosed (59%), followed by drug intoxication, opsoclonus-myoclonus ataxia syndrome, episodic ataxia, acute cerebellitis, cerebellar stroke, ADEM, meningitis, cerebral vein thrombosis, Leigh's disease, Miller-Fisher syndrome, and concussion. Among the patients with post-infectious cerebellar ataxia, 85% were 1-6 years old and all had a history of antecedent viral illness. CSF pleocytosis was present in 40% of patients; all had normal brain MRIs. The majority (91%) recovered within 30 days. We conclude that post-infectious cerebellar ataxia remains the most common cause of acute ataxia in childhood and that it carries a good prognosis. We also differentiate acute post-infectious cerebellar ataxia from other causes with similar presentations.

Keywords: acute ataxia; acute cerebellitis; case studies/case series; cerebellar ataxia; postinfectious cerebellar ataxia.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Ataxia / diagnostic imaging
  • Ataxia / epidemiology*
  • Ataxia / etiology*
  • Ataxia / therapy
  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Cerebellar Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Cerebellar Diseases / epidemiology
  • Cerebellar Diseases / etiology
  • Cerebellar Diseases / therapy
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infections / complications
  • Infections / epidemiology
  • Infections / therapy
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Retrospective Studies