Not all cases of nyctalopia are benign: Unusual and serendipitous presentation of Arnold-Chiari Type 1 malformation at a Pediatric Tertiary Care Center

The prevalence of Chiari malformation among children with persistent dysphagia

BACKGROUND

Brain imaging has been utilized as a diagnostic tool in the workup of persistent pediatric dysphagia, yet the indications for imaging and the prevalence of Chiari malformation (CM) have not been established.

OBJECTIVE

to evaluate the prevalence of CM anomalies in children who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for pharyngeal dysphagia and to review the clinical findings in the CM group compared to the non-CM group.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of children who underwent MRI as part of the workup for the diagnosis of dysphagia in a tertiary care children's hospital between 2010 and 2021.

RESULTS

150 patients were included. The mean age at diagnosis of dysphagia was 1 ± 3.4 years, and the mean age at MRI was 3.5 ± 4.2 years. Common comorbidities in our cohort included prematurity (n = 70, 46.7 %), gastroesophageal reflux (n = 65, 43.3 %), neuromuscular/seizure disorder (n = 53,35.3 %), and underlying syndrome (n = 16, 10.7 %). Abnormal brain findings were seen in 32 (21.3 %) patients, of whom 5 (3.3 %) were diagnosed with CM-I and 4 (2.7 %) patients with tonsillar ectopia. Clinical characteristics and dysphagia severity were similar between patients with CM-I/tonsillar ectopia and patients without tonsillar herniation.

CONCLUSIONS

Brain MRI should be pursued as part of the work-up for persistent dysphagia in pediatric patients given the relatively higher prevalence of CM-I. Multi-institutional studies are required to establish the criteria and timing of brain imaging in patients with dysphagia.

Experts' opinion about the pediatric secondary headaches diagnostic criteria of the ICHD-3 beta

Background

The 2013 International Classification of Headache Disorders-3 was published in a beta version to allow clinicians to confirm the validity of the criteria or suggest improvements based on field studies. The aim of this work was to review the Secondary Headache Disorders and Cranial Neuralgias and Other Headache Disorders sections of ICHD-3 beta data on children and adolescents (age 0–18 years) and to suggest changes, additions, and amendments.

Methods

Several experts in childhood headache across the world applied different aspects of ICHD-3 beta in their normal clinical practice. Based on their personal experience and the available literature on pediatric headache, they made observations and proposed suggestions for the mentioned headache disorders on children and adolescents.

Results

Some headache disorders in children have specific features, which are different from adults that should be acknowledged and considered. Some features in children were found to be age-dependent: clinical characteristics, risks factors and etiologies have a strong bio psychosocial basis in children and adolescents making primary headache disorders in children distinct from those in adults.

Conclusions

Several recommendations are presented in order to make ICHD-3 more appropriate for use in children.