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Altered mental status and seizures in a 3-year old with suspected anemia
Ayhan Atmanli1, Nilesh K Desai2, Jeny Nirappil1
1Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America.
Insights
Altered mental status and seizures in children require broad differential diagnoses. This case highlights a rare disorder in a pediatric patient needing prompt therapy.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Altered mental status and seizures are common pediatric emergency department chief complaints.
- A wide range of conditions can cause these symptoms in children.
Observation:
- A 3-year-old patient presented with acute mental status change and new-onset seizures.
- The patient's condition required consideration of less common pediatric disorders.
Findings:
- Diagnosis of a rare pediatric disorder was established.
- Prompt therapeutic intervention was indicated for the diagnosed condition.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering uncommon diagnoses in pediatric emergencies.
- Early recognition and treatment of rare disorders are crucial for favorable outcomes in children.
Abstract:
Altered mental status and seizure are chief complaints frequently seen in pediatric emergency departments. A multitude of disease processes can cause pediatric patients to present with these chief complaints, so it is important to consider broad differential diagnoses. Here, we present the case of a 3-year old patient with acute-onset mental status change and new-onset seizures who we diagnosed with a disorder not commonly seen in children, but one that requires prompt initiation of therapy.
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