Key result
Alternating hemiplegia of childhood is an uncommon illness of uncertain pathophysiology characterized by transient hemiplegia, abnormal ocular movements, and dystonic posturing.
Alternating hemiplegia of childhood is a rare clinical diagnosis characterized by transient hemiplegia and abnormal ocular movements, treated with flunarizine.
Highlights diagnostic features of alternating hemiplegia of childhood; leaves open mechanistic understanding and therapeutic advances.
We reviewed the etiologic aspects, clinical symptoms, complementary studies, differential diagnosis and treatment of alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC). AHC is an uncommon illness of uncertain pathophysiology that provokes crisis of transient hemiplegia affecting one hemibody or occasionally both at the same time. Clinical symptoms of AHC usually begin before the age of 18 months and in some cases may present in the neonatal period. Clinical symptoms include abnormal ocular movements such as nystagmus and dystonic or tonic posturing. Hemiplegic attacks are not associated with alteration of consciousness. Hemiplegia may disappear after arousal and may reappear 10 to 20 minutes after arousal in children with AHC. The diagnosis of AHC is clinically made, and most of the clinically used diagnostic tests result in negative. The treatment of AHC includes flunarizine. It is necessary to suspect this diagnosis to identify patients with AHC.
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Cano et al. (2015) conducted a review in Alternating hemiplegia of childhood. Alternating hemiplegia of childhood is an uncommon illness of uncertain pathophysiology characterized by transient hemiplegia, abnormal ocular movements, and dystonic posturing.
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