Neurology - Updated 2019! Flashcards
Child with severe trigonalcephaly. What is your management?
- sablage of metopic suture
- helmet
- place child face down
- craniostomy with removal of metopic suture
- observe
- craniostomy with removal of metopic suture
What is the most common reason for surgical intervention in a child who is born with a myelomeningocele:
a) Hydrocephaly
b) Chiari malformation
c) Syringomyelelia
d) Tethered cord
a. Hydrocephaly
Hydrocephalus with type 2 chiari in 80% (hydroceph is the reason to do surgery)
o Surgery within 1-7d (sooner if CSF leak), most require shunt, bladder catheterization, enemas
Which of the following is associated with spinal cord anomalies in a newborn:
a. anorectal anomalies
b. arthrogryposis
c. malrotation
d. dislocated hip
ANSWER:
a. anorectal anomalies
?Caudal regression syndrome (more common in IDM)
o anorectal malformation, kidneys, urinary tract, sacral abnormalities
b. arthrogryposis (congenital contractures)
d. dislocated hip in spina bifida occulta
6 mo old kid with vascular malformations of upper face. Complication you need to monitor?
a. Ipsilateral hearing loss
b. Cerebral AVM
c. Glaucoma
c. Glaucoma
Picture of a baby with right facial droop, able to wrinkle forehead, able to close eyes, normal nasalabial folds. Identify abnormality.
Asymmetric Crying Faceies (absence of depressor anguli oris muscle) - eye and forehead unaffected, compared to facial nerve palsy
A 4 month old child is observed to have positional plegiocephaly. What do you recommend to the parents?
a) encourage tummy time
b) refer to neurosurgery to rule out craniosynostosis
a) encourage tummy time
o 40% (highest incidence) at 4 months (babies can’t hold their own heads up until 4 months of age), then decreases - 3.3% at 24 months
o usually resolves by age 2-3 years
Child with facial nevus in V1 distribution. Came to the hospital with focal seizure.
What is the CT head finding expected?
Name 2 other complications.
Sturge Weber syndrome
1. Abnormal blood vessel in brain (ipsilateral leptomeningeal angioma aka leptomeningeal capillary-venous malformation)
- Abnormal blood vessel of eye (leading to glaucoma)
- visual field deficits
- focal seizures
- hemiparesis
- developmental delay
- stroke like episodes
- Intellectual disability
- Growth hormone deficiency
Four month infant who has recurrent extensor and flexor movements, preceded by a sharp cry, often in the early morning. Noted to have hypopigmented patches of skin. (1) What is your diagnosis of his acute problem? (1) What test would you use to confirm this ? What is his underlying condition (1) ? What test would you do to confirm this (1) ?
- infantile spasms
- EEG - hypsarrhythmia
- tuberous sclerosis
- MRI or genetic testing (TSC1 or TSC2 mutation)
TS Dx can be bade on genetics or clinically (Definite 2 major or 1 major and 2 minor)
Child with hypopigmented marks on his body and seizures. What is the diagnosis? How is it inherited? What test to you do to establish a diagnosis?
- tuberous sclerosis
- autosomal dominant with variable expression
- MRI +/- genetic testing
Neurofibromatosis – description of a kid with it. How many criteria need to be met to diagnose NF1? Name four of the criteria
Need two of seven:
- cafe au lait macules (6 or more): > 5mm prepubertal and >15mm post pubertal
- 2+ lisch nodules (Irish hamartomas)
- axillary/inguinal freckling
- 2+ neurofibromas
- optic gliomas
- bone changes - sphenoid dysplasia, cortical thinning of long bones, ± pseudoarthrosis
- first degree relative with NF1
A 3 and a half year old female had been developing normally, then over the past 6 months has been losing milestones. Which of the following diagnosis is this consistent with:
a. Tuberous sclerosis
b. GM-1 gangliosidosis
c. Adrenoleukodystrophy
d. MELAS
b. GM-1 gangliosidosis
Lysosomal storage disorder. GM1- neurodegeneration (ataxia, seizures, regression), HSM, cherry-red spot, skeletal deformities- AR
*Adrenoleukodystrophy- peroxisomal disorder (accumulation of VLCFA)- X-linked (boys)- females mildly affected much later.
Progressive dysfunction of adrenal cortex, central and peripheral nervous centre white matter. ADHD -> vegetative state.
MELAS (mitochondrial encephalopathy. lactic acidosis stroke like episodes) - maternally inherited, stunted growth, episodic vomiting, seizures, recurring cerebral insults. Degenerative.
TS - shouldn’t cause regression
List 4 features of Rett syndrome.
- acquired microcephaly
- hand wringing
- plateau and then regression of developmental milestones
- seizures
- scoliosis
- sighing respirations
Scenario of a child dying with metachromatic leukodystrophy who is palliative. You want to start opiods at home for pain control, What are four things/four principles you will have to consider when starting opioids?
- By Mouth : use least invasive method if possible
- By the clock: scheduled to avoid break through
- For the child: right medications tailored to ensure adequate pain relief
- Anticipate side effects
A mom comes to see you about her 2 year old previously well child who is having daily episodes where her trunk is writhing, and she becomes flushed and diaphoretic. She also grunts, and breathes rapidly during these. Mom is sure she does not lose consciousness and if she talks to her daughter, she can shorten the duration of the episode. They happen when the child is in her car seat or watching t.v. What is your next step?
a. Refer to neurology for an EEG
b. GI imaging to r/o reflux
c. Reassure mom
d. Refer to a psychologist
c. Reassure mom
Masturbation may occur in girls 2-3 yr of age and is often associated with perspiration, irregular breathing, and grunting, but no loss of consciousness
Which is an indication (most specific) of seizure activity in a neonate?
- tachycardia
- abnormal eye movements
- irregular breathing
- irritability
- abnormal eye movements
Subtle- eye deviations, nystagmus, blinking, mouthing, abnormal extremity movements, fluctuations in heart rate, hypertension, apnea
A 3 month old baby with myclonic jerks of the head and arms. What is the most likely diagnosis:
- Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
- Benign myoclonus of infancy
- Lennox-Gastaut
- Landau-Kleffner
- Benign myoclonus of infancy - myoclonic jerks of extremities in wakefulness/ sometimes sleep, similar to shuddering attacks (rapid tremor of head, shoulder, trunk lasting a few seconds, associated with eating, recurring many times per day).
May be mistaken for infantile spasms, but EEG, MRI and development are normal. Spontaneous remission at 2-3 years.
*3. Lennox-Gastaut → Triad: difficult to control seizures, slow spike-wave EEG during awake state, mental retardation
A child in status epilepticus. HR 220, respirations difficult to assess, BP 150/80. Unable to get IV access. What to do:
- Sodium nitroprusside
- Rectal diazepam
- Intubate
- IM Dilantin
- Rectal diazepam
* then monitor for respiratory depression (more common with diazepam than lorazepam)
A 7 year old girl has had 3 episodes over the past 3 months where she awakes from sleep, has twitching of her right upper lip and is unable to verbalize for 3 minutes. What is the likely diagnosis:
a. benign rolandic epilepsy of childhood
b. juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
c. parasomnias
a. benign rolandic epilepsy of childhood
- Benign Childhood Epilepsy with Centrotemporal Spikes (BCECTS)
A 7 year old girl has had 3 episodes over the past 3 months where she awakes from sleep, has twitching of her right upper lip and is unable to verbalize for 3 minutes. What is the treatment?
Rx: clobazam, carbamazepine (can induce myoclonus), or no treatment if mild and rare
Adolescent female noted to have ?seizure post soccer game. There is a family history of seizures and the GP starts her on phenobarb prophylactically. Despite this, she has a second episode. What would you do next?
a. EEG
b. ECHO
c. Holter for 24 hours
d. ECG
e. exercise ECG
d. ECG
children with new-onset seizure disorder should get an ECG to rule out LQT syndrome masquerading as a seizure disorder.
Cardiac syncope is usually sudden without the gradual onset and the symptoms that accompany vagal syncope
All of the following can cause seizures in the neonate EXCEPT:
a) hyperkalemia
b) hyponatremia
c) hypomagnesemia
d) hypocalcemia
e) alkalosis
a) hyperkalemia
alkalosis can cause decreased ionized calcium due to increased binding of calcium to albumin
Child with absence seizures. What do you tell the parents:
a) significantly increased risk of generalized tonic-clonic seizures in the future
b) should be seizure-free within 2 years
c) will have more absence seizures as time goes on
d) increased risk of developmental delay
e) prognosis is generally poor
a) significantly increased risk of generalized tonic-clonic seizures in the future
Absence: Onset 5-8y, Offset 10-12y
▪ <4y should evaluate for glucose transporter defect (low CSF glucose) gene- GLUT-1 def
30-50% will have GTCs, often years later
What is the best medication for treating absence seizures:
a) valproic acid
b) clonazepam
c) carbamazepine
d) phenytoin
e) phenobarbital
a) valproic acid
Ethosuximide also a good option (with fewer SE than VPA)
3 month old with myoclonic jerks. No skin lesions. EEG shows disorganized background with intermittent discharges. What is the most likely diagnosis?
a. infantile spasms
b. benign myoclonus of infancy
c. familial myoclonus
a. infantile spasms (now called epileptic spasms - can happen past infancy)
- onset typically between 4-8 months of age
- underlying cause in ¾ of pt (perinatal, asphyxia, congenital, malformation, TS)
- hypsarrhythmia = high voltage b/l irregular high voltage spike + wave pattern