Patient education: Acute cerebellar ataxia in children (The Basics)

What is acute cerebellar ataxia? — 

This is a condition that causes people to suddenly become unable to coordinate their movements. It most often affects children between the ages of 2 and 5 years old, but it can affect older children, too.

Acute cerebellar ataxia usually happens in response to an infection that causes fever. The symptoms of acute cerebellar ataxia usually go away on their own within 2 to 3 weeks.

What are the symptoms of acute cerebellar ataxia? — 

The main symptom is usually trouble walking, but other movement problems can also occur. Some children also develop:

●Jumpy or flicking eyeball movements

●Trouble speaking clearly

●Vomiting

●Headache

Will my child need tests? — 

Probably. If your child has symptoms of acute cerebellar ataxia, the doctor or nurse will want to make sure they are not caused by a more serious problem. They will ask a lot of questions about your child's symptoms and medical history. As part of the exam, the doctor or nurse will also need to watch how your child responds to different things and how they move.

The doctor or nurse might also order:

●Blood tests to check for poisons or drugs (for example, if there is a chance the child accidentally swallowed something)

●Blood tests to check for low blood sugar, or other problems

●Imaging tests to check for problems in the brain

How is acute cerebellar ataxia treated? — 

It usually gets better on its own without treatment.

What can I do to help my child? — 

Give your child a lot of support. Tell them things will get better. Also, keep a close watch on your child's symptoms and tell the doctor if they get worse.

Can acute cerebellar ataxia be prevented? — 

You can lower the chances your child will get acute cerebellar ataxia by making sure they get all the right vaccines. Some of the infections that lead to acute cerebellar ataxia (such as chickenpox, measles, and mumps) can be prevented with vaccines.

More on this topic

Patient education: Vaccines for babies and children age 0 to 6 years (The Basics)
Patient education: Chickenpox (The Basics)
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Patient education: Vaccines for infants and children age 0 to 6 years (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Chickenpox prevention and treatment (Beyond the Basics)