Burkitt Lymphoma-associated GAD65 Encephalitis in a Child with New-onset, Refractory Seizures (P1-14.007)

Refractory epilepsy is not uncommon in pediatric patients; consideration of whether seizures are acutely symptomatic of a primary disease process is critical. In this case, a healthy 7-year-old child presented with intractable focal seizures in the setting of a mild viral prodrome and headache. This case highlights a comprehensive work up of new-onset, refractory epilepsy in a patient with features of encephalitis, and it describes a diagnostic quandary that ultimately led to a rare unifying diagnosis.