Delayed central cord syndrome after a handstand in a child: case report

We report a case of a central cord syndrome in a 7 year-old girl. After several handstands, with sudden upper thoracic back pain and weakness of the legs 2 to 3 h later, then rapidly progressive tetraplegia with apnea. Plain X-rays and CT myelography of the cervical spine revealed no abnormalities. Although the initial neurological deficit was severe enough to require the child to be placed on a mechanical ventilator, she recovered to be able to walk on the 24th hospital day. Since the development of a central cord syndrome after handstands is exceptional in a child with a normal cervical spine, we report here briefly.