title: Ataxia in children: early recognition and clinical evaluation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ataxia is a sign of different disorders involving any level of the nervous system and consisting of impaired coordination of movement and balance. It is mainly caused by dysfunction of the complex circuitry connecting the basal ganglia, cerebellum and cerebral cortex. A careful history, physical examination and some characteristic maneuvers are useful for the diagnosis of ataxia. Some of the causes of ataxia point toward a benign course, but some cases of ataxia can be severe and particularly frightening.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, we describe the primary clinical ways of detecting ataxia, a sign not easily recognizable in children. We also report on the main disorders that cause ataxia in children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The causal events are distinguished and reported according to the course of the disorder: acute, intermittent, chronic-non-progressive and chronic-progressive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Molecular research in the field of ataxia in children is rapidly expanding; on the contrary no similar results have been attained in the field of the treatment since most of the congenital forms remain fully untreatable. Rapid recognition and clinical evaluation of ataxia in children remains of great relevance for therapeutic results and prognostic counseling.
authors.affiliation: University-Hospital "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", University of Catania, Catania, Italy. ppavone@unict.it.|Unit of Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Vittorio Emanuele-Policlinico, University of Catania, Italy, Via Plebiscito 767, 95123, Catania, Italy. ppavone@unict.it.
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pavone
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.|Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Praticò
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pavone
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lubrano
authors.affiliation: University-Hospital "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Falsaperla
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Martino
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruggieri
mesh_terms: D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D010808:Physical Examination; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: Acute cerebellitis; Ataxia; Cerebellar malformations; Cerebellar syndrome; Diagnostic maneuvers