title: Clinical case study: a 4-year-old boy with posterior fossa syndrome after resection of a medulloblastoma.
abstract: Posterior fossa syndrome can occur after neurosurgical resections of childhood posterior fossa tumors, such as medulloblastomas. Posterior fossa syndrome is characterized by transient mutism, emotional lability, cognitive deficits, weakness, ataxia, and cranial nerve dysfunction. Symptoms generally appear 1 to 3 days after surgery and persist for months to years. Neuroscience nurses play an integral role in helping affected children and their families through the diagnosis, treatment, and sequelae of this frightening syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. Diane.Mortimer@osumc.edu
authors.forename: Diane Schretzman
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Mortimer
mesh_terms: D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000451:nursing* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D059186:Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000451:nursing; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000451:nursing; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior; D003399:Craniotomy; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000451:nursing* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D009155:Mutism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing; D013577:Syndrome