ABSTRACT
The authors report a case of cerebral cysticercosis in a 17 year-old adolescent. Partial seizures and moderate functional signs of intracranial hypertension were the presenting symptoms. Treatment with Praziquantel under corticosteroid therapy was successful with almost complete disappearance of radiologic abnormalities on the computerised tomographic examination performed 7 months after the end of treatment.
Subject(s)
Brain Diseases/drug therapy , Cysticercosis/drug therapy , Praziquantel/therapeutic use , Adolescent , Brain Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Cysticercosis/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Male , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Twenty-eight children were diagnosed as having dermatomyositis (DM) on the basis of the criteria of Bohan and Peter. Ten of the 28 children developed calcinosis. Calcium deposits mainly occurred in DM with gradual onset of symptoms and with a chronic course. Calcinosis always appeared insidiously and early during the active stage of the disease. It persisted for a long time beyond the remission of the active muscle symptoms without tendency to spontaneous resolution. Long-term follow-up data substantiate calcinosis as the most frequent and the most serious sequela in this series of childhood DM.
Subject(s)
Calcinosis/etiology , Dermatomyositis/complications , Calcinosis/diagnosis , Calcinosis/pathology , Child , Child, Preschool , Dermatomyositis/diagnosis , Dermatomyositis/pathology , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Prednisone/therapeutic use , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The authors report 28 cases of juvenile dermatomyositis. Bohan and Peter criteria were fulfilled in all cases. All children received a treatment with prednisone as soon as diagnosis was established. Five patients (18%) died during this treatment. The remaining children were followed for at least 2 years after prednisone treatment was discontinued. An acute onset was found in 4 of the 5 children who died and in 6 of 23 children still alive. Swallowing disorders were present in all children who died and in 11 of the children still alive. Ten children recovered fully and 13 presented with sequellae. The average interval between clinical onset and diagnosis was 2 months 19 days for the children who recovered and 5 months 21 days for those presenting with sequellae. The average duration of the period of activity of dermatomyositis was 6 months for the children who recovered and 3 years 4 months for those with sequellae.
Subject(s)
Dermatomyositis/physiopathology , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Dermatomyositis/complications , Dermatomyositis/drug therapy , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Prednisone/therapeutic use , Prognosis , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Hematomas of the brainstem are revealed by signs of brainstem dysfunction. Sudden onset is characteristic but only demonstration of subarachnoid hemorrhage and typical CT-Scan appearance are diagnostic. Surgical evacuation of the hematoma may help in the acute stage but does not avoid recurrence; pronosis is guarded.
Subject(s)
Brain Stem/diagnostic imaging , Cerebral Hemorrhage/diagnostic imaging , Hematoma/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Child , Child, Preschool , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations/diagnostic imaging , Medulla Oblongata/diagnostic imaging , Pons/diagnostic imaging , PrognosisABSTRACT
A cerebral ischemic accident is reported in a girl presenting with hereditary spherocytosis. The relationship between congenital hemolytic anemia and acute vascular accidents are discussed from data concerning other types of chronic hemolytic anemias. The possible predisposing role of splenectomy in this child is underlined and the risk of ischemic accidents in all patients undergoing splenectomy is emphasized.
Subject(s)
Ischemic Attack, Transient/etiology , Spherocytosis, Hereditary/complications , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Ischemic Attack, Transient/diagnostic imaging , Spherocytosis, Hereditary/therapy , Splenectomy/adverse effects , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
A case of paraplegia occurring during surgery for coarctation of the aorta in a 28 month-old child is reported. Paraplegia was due to medullary ischemia, probably related to insufficient collateral circulation. Such ischemic accidents generally remain unforeseeable and no good prevention is available. This rare operative complication should not alter the present management of coarctation of the aorta.
Subject(s)
Aortic Coarctation/surgery , Paraplegia/etiology , Child, Preschool , Humans , Intraoperative Complications , MaleABSTRACT
In a 8 year-old girl, chickenpox was complicated with opticomyelitis (Devic's disease). In adults, opticomyelitis is often considered as closely related to multiple sclerosis; in children an infectious etiology must be investigated first.
Subject(s)
Chickenpox/complications , Demyelinating Diseases/etiology , Neuromyelitis Optica/etiology , Child , Female , HumansABSTRACT
In a 10-year-old girl admitted to hospital for polyuria and polydipsia, the central nervous system origin of the symptoms was demonstrated by low antidiuretic hormone levels (inferior to 1 pg/ml) and reduction of diuresis after administration of 1-deamino-8D-arginine-vasopressin (DDAVP). A study of the girl's family history showed that the disease was hereditary and autosomal dominant. Intranasal instillations of DDAVP twice daily constitute the best known treatment of the condition.