Uncoordinated movement of muscles due to a disease or lesion of the cerebellum.
It is generally caused by alterations of the metabolism, biochemical, immune or toxic disorders or a specific lesion of the cerebellum (bleeding, absence of blood flow, infection).
Signs and symptoms are difficulty walking, tremor, alteration of hand coordination and speech and blurred vision.
Diagnosis is reached through clinical questioning, physical and neurological examination, CT-scan and lumbar puncture to test the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
The treatment will depend on the triggering cause: surgery may be required in the event of a bleeding; anticoagulant agents may be required in the event of ischaemic stroke; antibiotics may be required to treat an infection; steroids may be required to treat cerebellar inflammation.
- Nussinovitch M, Prais D, Volovitz B, et al. Post-infectious acute cerebellar ataxia in children. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 2003; 42:581.
- Desai J, Mitchell WG. Acute cerebellar ataxia, acute cerebellitis, and opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome. J Child Neurol 2012; 27:1482.
- Poretti A, Benson JE, Huisman TA, Boltshauser E. Acute ataxia in children: approach to clinical presentation and role of additional investigations. Neuropediatrics 2013; 44:127.
- Davis DP, Marino A. Acute cerebellar ataxia in a toddler: case report and literature review. J Emerg Med 2003; 24:281.
- G. Suárez Otero, P.Tirado Requero y j. Arcas Martínez. Ataxia. Manual de diagnóstico y terapéutica en pediatría. 5ª Edición. Capítulo 130. Páginas 1243:1246
