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Acute cerebellar ataxia - Overview

Alternative Names

Cerebellar ataxia; Ataxia - acute cerebellar; Cerebellitis

Definition of Acute cerebellar ataxia:

Acute cerebellar ataxia is sudden onset of uncoordinated muscle movement.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Acute cerebellar ataxia is most common in children, especially those younger than 3 years old. It often occurs several weeks after a viral illness. Viral infections that may cause this include chickenpox, Coxsackie disease, Epstein-Barr, and mycoplasma pneumonia. Exposure to older insecticides called organophosphates may also cause ataxia.

Reviewed last on: 8/9/2007
Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

References

Eicher T. Toxic encephalopathies. Neurol Clin. May 2005; 23(2): 353-76.

Cohen J, Powderly WG. Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Elsevier; 2004:309.

Long SS, Pickering LK, Prober CG. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Elsevier; 2003:147-148, 296-297.

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