Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in children: differential diagnosis from multiple sclerosis on the basis of clinical course

Lee, Yun Jin

In addition to encephalopathy, the most common neurologic features of ADEM include long tract (pyramidal tract) signs, acute hemiparesis, cerebellar ataxia, cranial neuropathies, including optic neuritis, and spinal cord dysfunction (transverse myelitis) [2] [3] [4] 18, 19) . Symptoms of optic neuritis include vision loss, pain with eye movement, and an afferent pupillary defect. Inflammation of the optic disc may be seen by direct funduscopic examination if there is extensive involvement of the optic nerve. The imaging of the optic nerve with a gadolinium-enhanced MRI of the brain and orbits is a more sensitive means to diagnose optic neuritis in these patients. Symptoms of transverse myelitis include flaccid paralysis of the legs with a change in sensory level on examination. Bowel and bladder involvement secondary to spinal cord disease results in constipation and urinary retention. The arms can be involved if the demyelinating lesion affects the cervical cord. Respiratory failure may appear with high cervical lesions that extend into the brainstem. Aphasia, movement disorders, and sensory deficits are unusual. The severe phase of ADEM generally lasts from 2 to 4 weeks. Children may show deterioration in their condition after hospital admission, and most of them develop new neurologic signs. Patients usually recover completely from the acute illness, although some have neurologic sequelae.