title: Acute cerebellar ataxia in a toddler: case report and literature review.
abstract: Acute cerebellar ataxia (ACA) is an inflammatory CNS disease that is characterized by rapid onset of ataxia in a child under 6 years of age. Symptoms typically occur in association with a relatively benign viral illness and have been reported after vaccination as well. Immunological studies suggest that both involve autoimmune destruction of axon tracts, with pathological and radiographic evidence of a link with multiple sclerosis. The emergency approach should be focused on excluding more significant illnesses, such as meningitis or an intracranial mass lesion. Here we present a case of a young girl with ACA and review the relevant literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical Center, University of California-San Diego, 200 West Arbor Drive #8676, San Diego, CA 92103-8676, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marino
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D020234:Gait Ataxia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant