Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026
10:02
A Battery of Motor Tests in a Neonatal Mouse Model of Cerebral Palsy
Published on: November 3, 2016
24.2K
Critical Illness Polyneuropathy in a Child: A Case Report
Shiji Chalipat1, Jyothsna Sree Madala2, Sanjay Chavan2
1Pediatric Neurology, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth (Deemed to Be University), Pune, IND.
Cureus
|April 22, 2024
Summary
Critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy are often missed in children requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation. Early recognition and supportive care are crucial for recovery in pediatric intensive care unit patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care medicine
- Neurology
- Intensive care unit management
Background:
- Critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP) and myopathy (CIM) are significant complications in critically ill children.
- These conditions are often underdiagnosed, particularly in those with prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stays and mechanical ventilation.
Observation:
- A 10-year-old boy with pneumococcal meningoencephalitis, severe sepsis, and multiorgan dysfunction developed quadriparesis and areflexia.
- The patient required extended mechanical ventilation, sedation, and inotropic support, with multiple extubation failures.
Findings:
- Electrophysiology confirmed CIP, specifically acute motor and sensory axonal polyneuropathy.
- Elevated muscle enzymes were noted, indicating muscle involvement.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of suspecting CIP/CIM in critically ill children.
- Prompt diagnosis and comprehensive management, including physiotherapy, can lead to improved outcomes, as demonstrated by the patient's recovery.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution
Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight, compared...
01:28Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an acute, toxin-mediated infectious disease that primarily affects the upper respiratory tract. It is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a Gram-positive, pleomorphic rod that lacks spore-forming capability and exhibits a characteristic club-shaped morphology under microscopic examination. While C. diphtheriae can asymptomatically colonize mucosal surfaces, clinical disease manifests only when the bacterial strain is lysogenized by a specific β-corynephage. This phage...
01:22Diabetic Neuropathy
DefinitionDiabetic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by long-standing diabetes mellitus. It results directly from prolonged high blood sugar levels.PathophysiologyThe pathophysiology of diabetic neuropathy involves both metabolic and vascular disturbances triggered by chronic hyperglycemia.Metabolic injury: Elevated glucose levels activate the polyol pathway within nerve cells, leading to the accumulation of sorbitol and fructose. This increases oxidative stress, disrupts normal nerve...
01:26Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma caused by direct viral invasion or immune-mediated mechanisms triggered by infections or tumors. Both processes lead to neuronal injury, disrupted neurotransmission, and diverse neurological symptoms, often with overlapping clinical and pathological features.Autoimmune EncephalitisIn autoimmune encephalitis, antibodies target neuronal antigens on cell surfaces, synapses, or within neurons. A key example is anti-NMDAR encephalitis, which can...