|
|
|
|
||||
Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
What are the symptoms?
The clinical presentation of ADEM, despite different causes, is similar. The illness usually begins with non specific symptoms such as fever, headache, stiff neck, vomiting and anorexia. These are rapidly followed by depression of consciousness in which the patient may become confused, stuporous, delirious and occasionally entering into coma. During this early period neurological examination usually shows focal neurological signs such as bilateral optic neuritis, ataxia of the limbs, clumsiness in walking, paralysis down one side and seizures may occur. The duration of these symptoms is variable, some cases lasting a few weeks to a month, and other fatal cases having a rapid progressive course over a number of days. The clinical sign that correlates most closely with the prognosis is the level of consciousness. The illness usually has monophasic course, that is once it is over, further attacks rarely develop. Recently long term studies of patients with ADEM haveshown that a small number develop multiple sclerosis later on.
Background
| What are the causes? 
Donate Now
makingcontact.org
Pounds for parents
Subscribe to the 