Ataxia refers to incoordination of movement out of proportion to weakness.
Can be caused by dysfunction of cerebellum, proprioception, or vestibular system
Careful history of timing of...
Focus on the time course of onset.
Elicit possible ingestions, access to medications at homes of friends, family
Antecedent infections or vaccinations (fever, especially upper respirato...
Treatment of many of the acute ataxias (ingestions, postviral) is supportive.
Specific therapies
ADEM: corticosteroids
GBS: intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), plasmapheresis
Paraneoplastic: trea...
Most acute ataxias are ingestions and postviral and have a good prognosis. If recovery from a presumed postviral ataxia is delayed (>2 weeks), evaluation for neuroblastoma sho...
Blaser SI, Steinlin M, Al-Maawali A, et al. The pediatric cerebellum in inherited neurodegenerative disorders: a pattern-recognition approach. Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 2016;26(...
781.3 Lack of coordination
334.3 Other cerebellar ataxia
334 Friedreich’s ataxia
334.4 Cerebellar ataxia in diseases classified elsewhere
334.1 Hereditary spastic paraplegia
R27.0 Ataxia, un...
Q: Which ingestions are most likely to cause ataxia?
A: Alcohol, anticonvulsants, antihistamines, benzodiazepines, TCAs
Q: What is the typical time course of postinfectious ataxia?
A: Typically, it w...
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