[Investigation of visiospatial disturbance after acute encephalopathy].
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the visiospatial disturbance in 103 children with acute encephalopathy at more than one year from the onset.


METHODS
The patients were divided into two groups:group (1) with visiospacial disturbance (43 cases), group (2) without (60 cases). We checked the etiology, consciousness loss, complications and disabilities including higher cortical dysfunction in their medical charts.


RESULTS
The average age of onset was 3 years 5 months in group (1), and that 2 years 8 months in group (2). Regarding the etiology, influenza infection, was most common (36 cases), and there was no statistical difference between two groups. The duration of consciousness loss was 10.8 days in group (1) and 7.7 days in group (2). The abnormal region on MRI brain and single photon emission computed tomography was mainly the occipital area in group (1) and the frontal area in group (2). Prominent complicating disabilities comprised higher cortical dysfunction, such as visiospatial disturbance in group (1) and interpersonal skill disturbance in group (2). The symptoms of visiospatial disturbance were difficulty in searching, writing, recognizing bumps, etc. After proper evaluation and rehabilitation programs, continuous performance of the programs was necessary in daily living.


CONCLUSIONS
It is important for children with acute encephalopathy to be checked for visiospatial disturbance. An early rehabiitation approach should be taken for children with visiospatial disturbance.
Department of Pediatrics, Kanagawa Rehabilitation Center, Atsugi, Kanagawa. manakurihara@mub.biglobe.ne.jp
Mana
M
Kurihara
Jun
J
Shishido
Toshitaka
T
Kohagizawa
Manabu
M
Yoshihashi
Hiroyuki
H
Fujita
Hiroyuki
H
Ida
D000208:Acute Disease; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D065768:Lennox Gastaut Syndrome; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011379:Prognosis; D013036:Spasms, Infantile / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*