Cronobacter Support
04-02-2009, 11:09 AM
Cerebral infarction occurs in infancy and, when it does, the clinical symptoms are usually either nonspecific, nonexistent, or difficult to recognize in the ill, sedated infant. There is indication that its occurrence has largely been underestimated in the past. A postmortem series places its frequency at 17% of the term infants and 5.4% of total autopsied neonates.
The reason for the formerly infrequent documentation probably lies in the relative lack of specificity of symptoms and a low clinical index of suspicion. Although in adults and in older children symptoms such as hemiparesis consequent to the loss of function in the involved region are common, in the neonate they are most often lacking. The most common symptoms both in our patients and in prior reports are hypotonia, lethargy, and/or seizures. In a retrospective series of 50 neonates with seizures, 14% were found to have stroke as the underlying cause; this figure rose to 31% of 24 nonasphyxiated infants.
posted from ajronline.org
The reason for the formerly infrequent documentation probably lies in the relative lack of specificity of symptoms and a low clinical index of suspicion. Although in adults and in older children symptoms such as hemiparesis consequent to the loss of function in the involved region are common, in the neonate they are most often lacking. The most common symptoms both in our patients and in prior reports are hypotonia, lethargy, and/or seizures. In a retrospective series of 50 neonates with seizures, 14% were found to have stroke as the underlying cause; this figure rose to 31% of 24 nonasphyxiated infants.
posted from ajronline.org