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Two infants with infantile spasms associated with vitamin B12 deficiency

Baris Malbora1, Deniz Yuksel2, Ayse Aksoy2

  • 1Department of Pediatric Hematology, Dr. Sami Ulus Research and Training Hospital of Women's and Children's Health and Diseases, Ankara, Turkey.

Pediatric Neurology
|May 10, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Maternal nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency can cause infantile spasms in infants. Prompt treatment with vitamin B12, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and phenobarbital effectively resolved symptoms in two infants, highlighting its role as a treatable cause.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Nutritional Neuroscience
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • Nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in infants, often due to maternal deficiency, can lead to severe hematological and neurological issues.
  • While epilepsy is a rare manifestation, the neurological underpinnings of infantile vitamin B12 deficiency are not fully understood.
  • Limited English literature exists on the specific link between infantile spasms and vitamin B12 deficiency.
Abstract

Keywords:
infantile spasmsseizuretreatmentvitamin B12 deficiency

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