Neurologic Complications due to Severe Micronutrient Deficiencies in an American Adolescent

Micronutrient deficiencies are a major global health problem but are less common in developed nations. If left unidentified and untreated, micronutrient deficiencies can lead to serious, sometimes irreversible, sequelae such as with vitamin A deficiency and vision loss. Providers should recognize these issues not only in chronically ill and hospitalized patients but in those with non-illness-related malnutrition due to parent/child-selected restricted diets. Herein, we present a case of unrecognized chronic, severe, malnutrition due to severe behavioral food selectivity with associated neurologic deficits due to hypovitaminosis (vitamins A and B₂ ). With adequate enteral nutrition and vitamin repletion, our patient's neurologic deficits have partially recovered.