Addison’s disease, a rare endocrine disorder, presents a myriad of symptoms that can often be nonspecific and challenging for diagnosis. We present a case of an 11-year-old male child born out of 5th degree consanguineous marriage, who presented with multiple symptoms over a period of months. The patient initially complained of blackish discoloration of nails for 4 months, which was followed by a fall from steps 2 months prior to admission. Subsequently, he experienced generalized weakness, loss of memory, and froathing 1 month prior to admission. Most concerning, the patient developed fever and loss of consciousness in the last day before presentation to the hospital. The patient was diagnosed with Addison’s disease, an uncommon disorder in pediatric populations. This case highlights the complex presentation of Addison’s disease in pediatric patients and underscores the importance of considering this diagnosis in cases of unexplained hyperpigmentation and systemic symptoms, especially in consanguineous populations, even in the absence of typical signs. This report aims to increase awareness among healthcare providers regarding the diverse presentations of Addison’s disease, particularly in pediatric patients, to facilitate prompt diagnosis and management.
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Geetha et al. (2024) studied this question.
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