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Unrecognized infantile Meniere's disease
Abstract:
We have described two patients who, from early infancy, suffered attacks of vomiting associated with fluctuating hearing loss, which ended in bilateral severe sensorineural hearing loss. The patients were treated by pediatricians as suffering from gastroenteritis or meningitis. Meniere's disease was not suspected. We want to point out that Meniere's disease, though it usually begins in middle age, may well start in childhood, as well as in infancy, and should be suspected whenever vomiting without diarrhea is associated with some hearing loss at any age--no matter how young the patient is. It is also quite possible that some sensorineural hearing losses in late childhood or adulthood are in effect the result of early burnt-out Meniere disease, as in our second case.
Insights
Meniere
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
Background:
- Meniere's disease typically manifests in middle age.
- Early childhood or infant onset is less commonly recognized.
Observation:
- Two patients experienced recurrent vomiting and fluctuating hearing loss from infancy.
- Initial diagnoses included gastroenteritis or meningitis, delaying Meniere's disease suspicion.
Findings:
- The patients developed severe sensorineural hearing loss.
- Meniere's disease should be considered in infants and children presenting with vomiting and hearing loss.
Implications:
- Early Meniere's disease diagnosis in children is crucial for timely intervention.
- Undiagnosed childhood Meniere's disease may contribute to later sensorineural hearing loss.