[New finding: transitory horizontal pendular nystagmus secondary to neonatal abstinence syndrome].
New finding: transient horizontal pendular nystagmus as a sequella to post-natal withdrawal syndrome.


BACKGROUND
Children born of mothers who abused illegal substances during pregnancy can present with signs and symptoms of a withdrawal syndrome, including irritability, jitteriness, diarrhoea. Usually these symptoms appear from a few hours up to a few days after birth. It is frequently followed by a post-withdrawal period of several weeks duration with crying, excitability, sleep irregularities and feeding difficulties. The purpose is to report the presence of nystagmus in infants born from drug-addicted mothers.


METHODS
Five children born from drug-addicted mothers were examined.


RESULTS
Three children (case 1 - 3) presented with congenital horizontal pendular nystagmus. Two other children (case 4 - 5) presented with a peculiar transient horizontal nystagmus, lasting 6 months and 7 months respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, transient horizontal pendular nystagmus has never been reported in the literature. It was detected in two children who suffered from a post-natal withdrawal syndrome necessitating substitution therapy, including morphine. This may represent a form of morphine midbrain toxicity.
Gaillard
Marie-Claire
MC
Hôpital Ophtalmique Jules Gonin, Lausanne, Unité de Neuro-ophtalmologie, Switzerland.
Borruat
François-Xavier
FX
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009294:Narcotics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009357:Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009759:Nystagmus, Pathologic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*
D013287:Illicit Drugs; D009294:Narcotics; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs