Pediatric neurology
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Pediatric neurology · Nov 2011
Review Case ReportsAtypical syncope in a child due to a colloid cyst of the third ventricle.
A 10-year-old girl presented to an emergency room with acute-onset, brief, repetitive episodes of loss of consciousness. Computed tomography indicated a 0.6 cm colloid cyst of the anterior third ventricle, adjacent to the foramen of Monro. This finding was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. ⋯ In contrast, colloid cysts are relatively uncommon in children, with only 100 cases reported in the literature. Colloid cysts are a known cause of sudden death. The possibility of colloid cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis of syncope that presents in an atypical fashion, and such cases warrant emergent evaluation via neuroimaging.
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Pediatric neurology · Nov 2011
ReviewIsolated neonatal seizures: when to suspect inborn errors of metabolism.
Neonatal seizures are common, and often comprise the first clinical indicator of central nervous system dysfunction. Although most neonatal seizures are secondary to processes such as hypoxic-ischemic injury, infection, or cortical malformations (which are readily identifiable through routine testing and imaging), seizures secondary to inborn errors of metabolism can be much more difficult to diagnose, and thus a high index of suspicion is required. The early diagnosis of inborn errors of metabolism is crucial, considering that many can receive effective treatment (e.g., dietary supplementation or restriction) with favorable long-term outcomes. This review emphasizes the importance of considering inborn errors of metabolism in the differential diagnosis of neonatal seizures, discusses red flags for inborn errors of metabolism as a cause of neonatal seizures, and provides an overview of diagnoses and treatments of inborn errors of metabolism most commonly associated with neonatal seizures.