Hemiconvulsion-Hemiplegia-Epilepsy Syndrome in a Girl Presented with Complex Partial Seizures

The mechanisms underlying the Hemiconvulsion-Hemiplegia-Epilepsy syndrome remains unclear. The current proposed pathogenic mechanism is a neuronal injury induced by venous thrombosis and/or hypoxia. Children develop hemispheric brain atrophy with contralateral hemiplegia, epilepsy, and a variable degree of cognitive deficit. We report a 33 months old female child a case of hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy syndrome with right hemisphere unilateral brain edema and left sided hemiplegia and aphasia who presented with left upper extremities complex partial seizures with generalization to tonic clonic seizures and developed status epilepticus that posed diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Progressive atrophy of the right cerebral hemisphere was noted after 3 months of follow up. Hemiconvulsion-Hemiplegia-Epilepsy syndrome should be suspected in a child with unilateral cerebral hemisphere brain edema and hemiplegia with cognitive deficit following status epilepticus to provide patients and families with an accurate prognosis regarding the subsequent development of epilepsy.

Clinical Profile and Electroencephalogram Findings in Children with Seizure Presenting to Dhulikhel Hospital

Background Seizure disorder is the most common childhood neurologic condition and a major public health concern. Identification of the underlying seizure etiology helps to identify appropriate treatment options and the prognosis for the child. Objective This study was conducted to investigate the clinical profile, causes and electroencephalogram findings in children with seizure presenting to a tertiary center in Kavre district. Method This was a hospital based prospective study carried out in the Department of Pediatrics, Dhulikhel Hospital, Kavre from 1st April 2015 to 31st March 2016. Variables collected were demographics, clinical presentations, laboratory tests, brain imaging studies, electroencephalography, diagnosis and outcome. Result Study included 120 (age 1 month to 16 years) children attending Dhulikhel Hospital. Majority of the patients were male (60.84%). Age at first seizure was less than 5 years in 75.83% of children. Seizure was generalized in 62.50%, focal in 31.67% and unclassified in 5.83%. Common causes of seizure were - Primary generalized epilepsy (26.66%), neurocysticercosis (10%) and hypoxic injury (6.6%) which was diagnosed in the perinatal period. Febrile seizure (26.66%) was the most common cause of seizure in children between 6 months to 5 years of age. Neurological examination, electroencephalography and Computed Tomography were abnormal in 71.66%, 68.92% and 58.14% cases respectively. Seizure was controlled by monotherapy in 69.16% cases and was resistant in 7.50% of the cases. Conclusion Primary generalized epilepsy and febrile seizure were the most common causes of seizures in children attending Dhulikhel Hospital. Electroencephalogram findings help to know the pattern of neuronal activity. Response to monotherapy was good and valproic acid was the most commonly used drug.

Pattern of Cardiac Diseases in Children Attended at Dhulikhel Hospital, Nepal

Background Congenital Heart Disease and Rheumatic Heart Disease are the most common childhood cardiac disease encountered in developing countries. Objective To study the pattern and the prevalence of cardiac diseases, its age wise distribution and to determine their risk factors for mortality in children presented to Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital. Method A study of cardiac diseases in children, since birth to 16 years of age attending the department of pediatrics in Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital was done over a period of 30 months (Jan 2014 to June 2016). The pattern of disease was studied. Detailed clinical examination of all cases was done followed by the necessary relevant investigations including electrocardiography, chest x-ray, echocardiography and supportive laboratory investigations. Result In this study period, 218 pediatric cardiac cases were encountered, among which 144 cases (66.05%) were Congenital Heart Disease, 57 cases (26.14%) were Rheumatic Heart Disease, 14 cases (6.42%) were Pericardial Disease and 3 cases (1.37%) were classified as Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Majority of Congenital Heart Disease were of isolated Ventricular Septal Defect (25%) and isolated Atrial Septal Defect (20.13%) followed by Patent Ductus Arteriosus (9.02%), Tetralogy of Fallot (6.94%) and Complex Congenital Heart Disease (6.25%). All of the Rheumatic Heart Disease primarily involved the Mitral Valve; however combined Aortic Valve involvement was seen in 26.31% of cases. All the 14 cases of pericardial disease presented with pericardial effusion and two cases presented with constrictive pericarditis. All the cases of pericardial disease were investigated to be of tubercular in origin. Conclusion Septal defects are the most common Congenital Heart Disease encountered in children. Although the prevalence of Rheumatic Heart Disease is decreasing worldwide, it is still a big burden in our community. Tubercular pericardial effusion is still not uncommon and should be suspected with a child presenting with pericardial effusion. Increased level of cardiac care and corrective surgeries are needed for children with cardiac disease in Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital.

Stress Induced Gastric Ulcers: Presenting as Massive Rectal Bleeding in a Newborn

Severe gastrointestinal bleeding in newborn period is a serious but uncommon phenomenon that has a broad differential diagnosis. Primary duodenal ulcers are rare in children but stress induced ulceration in stomach occurs more often in neonatal period due to birth asphyxia, prolonged labour, cesarean deliveries, instrumentations, respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis. These present as acute onset of gastrointestinal bleeding commonly as altered gastric aspirate, hematemesis or malena. We report a case of a neonate with stress induced gastric bleeding following birth asphyxia who presented with massive gastrointestinal bleed manifesting as hematemesis and massive rectal bleeding. Resuscitation with multiple blood transfusion and parenteral use of ranitidine controlled the bleeding. Stress induced gastric ulcers should be suspected in a neonate presenting with massive gastrointestinal bleeding after difficult delivery and birth asphyxia.

Sydenham's Chorea as Presentation of Rheumatic Heart Disease

Sydenham's chorea is the most common type of acquired chorea in childhood which is a major neurological manifestation of rheumatic fever. We describe a 13 years old girl who presented with weakness and purposeless involuntary movements of upper and lower limbs. The symptoms slightly affected the child's daily activities and had an unstable gait on walking which was aggravated during stress. Grade II ejection systolic murmur was noticed on cardiovascular examination. Echocardiography evaluation showed thickened aortic and mitral valve leaflets with mild to moderate degree of mitral regurgitation. Anti-streptolysin O titer was positive (≥200 IU/ml). CT scan of brain was normal. Subsequently child was diagnosed as Rheumatic heart disease with Sydenham's chorea and kept on regular Benzathine penicillin prophylaxis. Symptoms subsided spontaneously after 3 months without any further complications. Although decreasing, early diagnosis and management of Sydenham's chorea and Rheumatic heart disease are very crucial and should be considered with such presentation.

Difficult journey from delivery to discharge, case of congenital diaphragmatic hernia

We report a case of congenital diaphragmatic hernia which was diagnosed prenatally for which surgical correction was done on second day of life. The child was discharged in 17 days and has resulted in good post repair condition of patient.