Benign paroxysmal vertigo in childhood.
Fifteen children with a syndrome called benign paroxysmal vertigo are presented. This syndrome is characterized by attacks of vertigo of sudden onset lasting a few minutes and in extreme cases several hours or even up to 2 days. Additional symptoms are pallor, sweating, vomiting and nystagmus. Consciousness is not impaired. The attacks usually occur in the first 4 years of life. They are recurrent, the appearance varying from several times a week to once a year, and they may cease spontaneously after only months but usually years. The most important differential diagnoses are epilepsy and posterior fossa tumour. The etiology is unknown, but there may be a vascular disturbance affecting the posterior cerebral circulation with secondary disturbances of the vestibular nuclei.
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007762:Labyrinthitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D009443:Neuritis / Q000175:diagnosis; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D014103:Torticollis / Q000175:diagnosis; D014717:Vertigo / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014725:Vestibular Nerve