Neurocysticercosis in childhood

Manifestations of cysticercosis in 11 children (mean age 9.5 years) are presented. Features of raised intracranial pressure dominated the clinical picture (10 cases), followed by seizures (7 cases). Subretinal cysts occurred in three children. Focal signs were infrequent and often not attributable to anatomical lesions. Electro-encephalograms were invariably abnormal, but did not help to localize lesions. Plain roentgenograms of the skull showed sutural diastasis in the majority. Computerized tomography revealed white matter oedema with throttled ventricles in 6 patients and single localized lesions in 3 others. None had hydrocephalus. Histopathology and indirect haemagglutination test aided diagnosis in 6 cases. Two children recovered completely, one after surgical excision of a parietal lobe cyst and the other following praziquantel therapy. Half of the remaining patients improved spontaneously.