Neurological Disorders Study Set

Flashcards covering pediatric neurological disorders, diagnostic signs, seizure types, and related medical terminology based on Richardson (2018).

Absence seizure

A seizure that occurs frequently and lasts less than $30$ seconds, where the child experiences a brief loss of consciousness often confused with daydreaming.

Akinetic seizure

Occurs when the young child experiences a brief loss of consciousness and postural tone and falls to the ground, quickly regaining consciousness.

Anencephaly

A neural tube defect in which the bones of the skull and head do not form correctly and infants are missing large parts of their brain and skull.

Atonic seizure

A seizure characterized by a loss of muscular tone, whereby the child may fall to the ground.

Brudzinski sign

Occurs when the child responds to a flexed neck with an involuntary flexion of the hips and/or knees.

Cerebral palsy (CP)

A nonprogressive disorder with an increased incidence in extreme low-birth-weight and premature infants, characterized by motor and sensory deficits.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord that is usually clear in healthy children or those with viral meningitis, but cloudy in cases of bacterial meningitis.

Craniosynostosis

A condition where the skull is reconstructed via surgery to allow the brain to grow properly due to premature fusion of skull bones.

Cushing triad

A sign of severely increased Intracranial pressure (ICP) characterized by a decrease in heart rate, an increase in blood pressure, and irregular respirations.

Decerebrate posturing

A reflex associated with inflammation in the brain stem that indicates a more advanced stage of neurological deterioration in Reye syndrome compared to decorticate posturing.

Decorticate posturing

A reflex where the child flexes her arms and wrists while bringing them closer to the midline of the body, indicating inflammation above the brain stem.

Delirium

A state of consciousness in which the child is extremely confused and anxious.

Diabetes insipidus (DI)

A common occurrence in children with midline brain tumors where the child voids large amounts of very dilute urine; often treated with Vasopressin.

Encephalitis

An inflammation of the brain usually caused by a virus, often requiring PICU admission for monitoring of increased ICP and cardiac or respiratory compromise.

Hydrocephalus

A condition involving an increase in head size due to fluid accumulation, occurring in approximately $90\%$ to $95\%$ of children with myelomeningocele.

Kernig sign

A clinical indicator of meningeal irritation that occurs when there is resistance or pain in response to raising the child’s flexed leg.

Ketogenic diet

A diet used to produce anticonvulsant effects from ketosis, consisting of high-fat and low-carbohydrate foods.

Meningocele

A sac protruding through the spine containing a portion of the meninges and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), but containing no nerve endings.

Myelomeningocele

A condition where a sac containing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a portion of the meninges, and nerve roots protrudes through the spine.

Neuroblastoma

A tumor where signs vary by location; typical symptoms include weight loss, abdominal distention, and fatigue, with infants younger than $1$ year having the best prognosis.

Neurogenic bladder

A condition common in myelomeningocele where the child can never spontaneously empty the bladder completely, often requiring self-catheterization or a vesicostomy.

Nuchal rigidity

A resistance to neck flexion, which serves as a clinical sign of meningeal irritation.

Obtunded

A state of consciousness in which the child has a limited response to the environment and falls asleep unless her name is called or she is gently shaken.

Pancytopenia

A condition of decreased blood cell counts (red cells, white cells, and platelets), sometimes associated with neuroblastoma metastasis to the bone marrow.

Positional brachycephaly

A condition where an infant has a flattened head shape, often treated with a helmet worn $23$ hours every day for approximately $3$ to $12$ months.

Reye syndrome

A condition associated with the administration of aspirin or products containing aspirin during viral illnesses, often manifesting as increased ICP and hypoglycemia.

Shaken baby syndrome (SBS)

Injury occurring in young infants due to insufficient musculoskeletal support and a disproportionate head-to-body ratio; signs include retinal hemorrhages and intracranial trauma.