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Leber congenital amaurosis--differential diagnosis, ophthalmological and neuroradiological report of 18 patients.

Between 1985 and 1995 eighteen babies, presenting to our department with absent visual contact and roving eye movements, showed a non-recordable flash electroretinogram (fERG). This was confirmed when repeated after a one-year interval. In four patients with developmental delay an underlying systemic disorder was diagnosed after a thorough pediatric neurological evaluation: Senior Loken syndrome, neuroaxonal dystrophy, ceroid lipofuscinosis and a yet unclear metabolic disorder were the revised diagnoses. The fourteen remaining patients were diagnosed as having primary idiopathic Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA). Three of them showed developmental delay. In all three cerebellar abnormalities were visualized on brain computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Brain CT of the other eleven patients with age appropriate development was normal. We conclude that LCA is a diagnosis of exclusion and a cautious approach with a thorough history and pediatric neurological examination is necessary to exclude a more global pediatric neurological disorder.

Belgium↗

Guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase I deficiency: a rare cause of hyperphenylalaninemia.

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) deficiencies are a heterogeneous group of disorders caused by a defect in two of the three enzymes involved in its biosynthesis or in the two recycling enzymes. Except for the deficiency of dehydratase, an enzyme catalyzing a reaction in the recycling pathway, all other variants of BH4 deficiency are characterized by developmental delay, progressive neurological deterioration, hypokinesis, drooling, swallowing difficulty, truncal hypotonia, increased limb tone, myoclonus and brisk deep tendon reflexes. A deficiency of guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH), the first enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of BH4, is described in a 14-month-old male infant with hyperphenylalaninemia, developmental delay, hypertonia of the extremities, seizures, feeding difficulties, and vomiting. Urinary pteridine screening revealed very low levels of neopterin and biopterin which was highly suggestive of GTPCH deficiency. Low cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA) and homovanillic acid concentrations, together with no detectable neopterin and decreased concentrations of biopterin and folate, agreed with the diagnosis of GTPCH deficiency. Subsequently measured neopterin and biopterin synthesis in cytokine-stimulated skin fibroblasts confirmed GTPCH deficiency, albeit indirectly. The patient showed marked improvement on a low-protein low-phenylalanine diet with neurotransmitter precursor administration. The favorable outcome in this patient clearly shows that not only newborns with elevated phenylalanine levels but also older children with neurological signs and symptoms should be screened for a BH4 deficiency in order to have maximum benefit of the treatment.

Antioxidants↗

The cognitive outcome of very preterm infants may be poorer than often reported: an empirical investigation of how methodological issues make a big difference.

The effects of relying on outmoded IQ-test norms and the use of arbitrary classifications of developmental delay on estimates of cognitive impairment of very preterm infants (VPI) was evaluated in a prospective population study. Cognitive assessments included the Griffiths test at 5 and 20 months and the Columbia Mental Maturity Scales (CMM) and a vocabulary test (Aktiver Wortschatz Test, AWST) at 56 months of age. Rates of cognitive impairment of 321 very preterm infants (VPI; < 32 weeks gestation or < 1500 g birth weight) were determined according to the published test norms, to scores of a full-term control group (FC n = 321), and to scores from a representative sample of children (NC n = 431) of the same birth cohort. IQ-scores were higher in the FC and NC children than in the original standardisation sample (SS). Using the concurrent test norms (FC, NC) up to 2.4 times more VPI were identified as seriously impaired (<-2 SD) than if the published (outdated) norms were used. Serious developmental delay was underestimated when arbitrary (e.g. DQ < 70) rather than across age comparable definitions (DQ <-2 SD) were used. VPI study drop-outs had mothers with lower educational qualifications and poorer cognitive developmental scores at 5 or 20 months of age. In conclusion, a lack of appropriate control groups and use of arbitrary criteria for judging serious delay leads to large underestimations of cognitive impairment in VPI. Findings from previous uncontrolled studies of VPI need re-interpretation.

Child Development↗

Copper-replacement treatment for symptomatic Menkes disease: ethical considerations.

We describe a child with classical Menkes disease with a novel ATP7A mutation, intractable seizures, severe hypotonia and developmental delay, hypopigmentation of the skin and hair, and failure to thrive, who was treated with daily subcutaneous copper histidine injections for 2(1/2) years, beginning at 15 months of age. He became seizure-free and pigmentation of his skin and hair darkened, but he continued to have severe developmental delays. His condition remains stable 8 months after stopping treatment. We review the ethical aspects of offering copper treatment for Menkes disease infants diagnosed after neurological symptoms become manifest. These include (1) the prospect for any benefits, (2) the potential risks and discomforts, (3) the parents' wishes with respect to treatment, (4) the family's understanding of the treatment's potential futility, (5) the family's understanding of the investigational nature of this treatment, (6) the potential for treatment to have an adverse impact on unaffected family members, (7) whether the ultimate decision regarding treatment should rest with health care providers or with the patient's parents, and (8) the duration of treatment. The ethical issues encountered in providing possibly futile treatment in this difficult disorder seem relevant to other pediatric medical conditions as well.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis and corpus callosum in thrombocytopenia with absent radius syndrome on MRI studies.

Thrombocytopenia with absent radius (TAR) syndrome is infrequently (7%) associated with mental retardation. In those cases, the mental deficiency is presumed to be a consequence of intracranial hemorrhage due to the thrombocytopenia. We report on 2 infants with TAR syndrome. One had developmental delay with evidence of cerebral dysgenesis by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Such findings have not been noted in the literature, but may not have been investigated in most cases. The other infant with TAR syndrome, who has had normal psychomotor development, has a normal brain on MRI scan. Detailed neuroimaging studies, preferably MRI, should be considered in the evaluation of patients with TAR syndrome, especially when there are documented signs of developmental delay, with or without a history of intracranial hemorrhage.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Lead intoxication in children with pervasive developmental disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the observation that children with pervasive developmental disorders have later and more prolonged lead exposure and are more likely to be reexposed when compared to lead-poisoned children without pervasive developmental disorders. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: A large, urban lead treatment program. RESULTS: Over a six year period 17 children with pervasive developmental disorders (including autism) were treated. Compared to a randomly selected group of 30 children without pervasive developmental disorders who were treated for plumbism over the sam interval, those with pervasive developmental delay were significantly older at diagnosis (46.5 vs 30.3 months, p = .03) and had a longer period of elevated blood lead levels (39.1 vs 14.1 months, p = .013) during management. Despite close monitoring, state-mandated environmental inspection and prompt lead hazard reduction or alternative housing, 75% of children with pervasive developmental disorders were reexposed to lead during medical management compared with 23% of children without pervasive developmental disorders (p = .001). CONCLUSIONS: 1) lead intoxication among children with pervasive developmental disorders may appear de novo beyond the third year of life and is associated with a high rate of reexposure; 2) the provision of deleaded housing (by current techniques) may not be sufficient to protect these children from repeated lead exposure; 3) these data support recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control that children with developmental delays be closely monitored for the appearance of lead intoxication. This monitoring should continue beyond the third year of life.

Chelating Agents↗

Spectrum of holoprosencephaly.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a clinical study of holoprosencephaly (HPE). METHOD: Thirteen cases of HPE were studied regarding their clinical features, family history, and prenatal and imaging studies. Chromosomal analysis was done whenever fresh sample was available. RESULTS: Six cases were antenatally detected by ultrasound; four cases were stillborn. Three cases were identified by neuroimaging done a part of evaluation of developmental delay or cleft lip. Eleven of them had facial anomalies characteristics of HPE. Two of these had subtle facial features and microcephaly. Karyotype was abnormal in 2 of 7 cases studied. CONCLUSION: Most of the cases of HPE present antenatally or at birth. Milder forms like lobar and semilobar can present as developmental delay during infancy. Facial anomalies are usually associated with HPE. Chromosomal study of the case and clinical examination of the parents is essential for providing information regarding risk of recurrence to the family.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

The effect of prenatal methadone exposure on development and nociception during the early postnatal period of the rat.

The effects of prenatal exposure to methadone via Alzet osmotic minipump on early postnatal development and on nociceptive behavioral endpoints were assessed in Sprague-Dawley rat pups during the first three postnatal weeks. This treatment regimen appeared to produce no maternal toxicity, with dams developing and maintaining dependence upon methadone through parturition. Methadone-exposed dams exhibited a withdrawal syndrome consisting of wet-dog shakes, diarrhea, vocalizations and irritability when challenged with naloxone 24 h postpartum. Pups exhibited a similar withdrawal syndrome following naloxone challenge consisting of mouthing and licking, hyperactive response to touch and vocalizations 24 h postpartum. Although no significant difference in litter size was evident in methadone-treated litters, a 16% pup mortality rate was observed in these litters. Prenatal methadone-exposed pups exhibited a significant body weight reduction at birth that resolved by postnatal day 2 (P2) in males and P4 in females. Methadone-exposed pups exhibited significant developmental delay in the expression of the negative geotaxic response to a morphine challenge while, conversely, 21-day-old pups exhibited a significantly reduced analgesic response to this challenge. These studies indicate that this method of prenatal exposure to methadone can produce dependence in the dam and offspring without substantial mortality, induce developmental delay and alter analgesic responses to opiate challenge in exposed pups during the preweanling period.

Animals↗

Microcephaly, seizures, genital hypoplasia, and abnormalities of the hands and feet in a 4-year-old boy with possible Wiedemann syndrome.

We report on a 4-year-old boy with short stature, microcephaly, BNS (Blitz-Nick-Salaam) seizures, and global developmental delay. In addition, small and fleshy hands and feet as well as hypoplastic scrotum and testes were observed. The clinical features of the patient are compared with the patients previously described by Wiedemann et al. and Nevin et al. They reported three patients with a syndrome characterized by short stature, microcephaly, global developmental delay, abnormalities of hands and feet, seizures, large anterior fontanelle, scrotal hypoplasia, micropenis, cryptorchism, urinary tract abnormalities, and inguinal hernia (Wiedemann syndrome).

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Screening for biotinidase deficiency in children with unexplained neurologic or developmental abnormalities.

To test the hypothesis that the frequency of biotinidase deficiency is greater in children with unexplained developmental delay or neurologic abnormalities than in the general population, we studied children seen at a large outpatient clinic over a four-year period who had one or more of these neurologic abnormalities and for whom no specific cause for their abnormalities could be found. The group totaled 274 children (163 boys; 111 girls) whose ages ranged from 2 weeks to 17 years. Characteristics were IQ/DQ, 30 to 70 in the 115 for whom scores were available; 41% had seizures; 15% had sensorineural hearing loss; 54% showed gross motor delay or ataxia; and 27% had decreased muscle tone. One patient with a classical clinical picture of biotinidase deficiency was diagnosed during the study period and was not included in the study. None of the patients with nonclassic findings had a deficiency of biotinidase activity. Our results suggest that biotinidase deficiency does not account for a large proportion of children with unexplained neurologic abnormalities or developmental delay. This does not negate the importance of biotinidase testing in children with clinical patterns specifically suggestive of the deficiency.

Adolescent↗

Functional methionine synthase deficiency due to cblG disorder: a report of two patients and a review.

Functional methionine synthase deficiency due to abnormal methylcobalamin metabolism causes megaloblastic anemia, moderate to severe developmental delay, lethargy, and anorexia in association with homocystinuria. Patients with this disorder of cobalamin metabolism can be classified into two separate groups, cblE or cblG, primarily on the basis of complementation analysis with cultured skin fibroblasts. We describe two unrelated boys, ages 3 and 5 years, with the cblG defect in methylcobalamin synthesis. Both children presented with severe developmental delay, lethargy, anorexia, and megaloblastic anemia. The diagnosis of homocystinuria was delayed in each case due to difficulties with detection of small amounts of homocystine in physiologic samples. The clinical course of cblG disease is favorably altered by treatment with intramuscular hydroxycobalamin. Megaloblastosis in the presence of adequate supplies of cobalamin and folate in the blood must alert the clinician to the possibility of functional methionine synthase deficiency and should prompt a careful search for associated biochemical hallmarks, including homocystinuria/emia.

5-Methyltetrahydrofolate-Homocysteine S-Methyltran↗

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in children residing in Russian orphanages: a phenotypic survey.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol use in Russia is among the highest in the world. Over 600,000 children reside in institutional care in Russia, most of them in baby homes and orphanages. The actual prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) among these children is unknown. Therefore, we performed a systematic survey of phenotypic features associated with prenatal alcohol exposure among institutionalized Russian children and related these findings to their growth, development, medical, and social histories. METHODS: Phenotypic screening was conducted of all 234 baby home residents in the Murmansk region of Russia (mean age 21+12.6 months). Phenotypic expression scores were devised based on facial dysmorphology and other readily observable physical findings. Growth measurements from birth, time of placement in the baby home, and at present were analyzed. In addition, the charts of 64% of the children were randomly selected for retrospective review. Information collected included maternal, medical, developmental, and social histories. RESULTS: Thirteen percent of children had facial phenotype scores highly compatible with prenatal alcohol exposure and 45% had intermediate facial phenotype scores. These scores correlated with maternal gravidity and age. At least 40% of mothers in whom history was available ingested alcohol during pregnancy; some also used illicit drugs and tobacco. Z scores for growth measurements corresponded to phenotypic score, as did the degree of developmental delay. Children with no or mild delay had significantly lower phenotypic scores than those with moderate or severe delay (p = 0.04); more than 70% of children with high phenotypic scores were moderately or severely delayed. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of residents of the baby homes in Murmansk, Russia, have intermediate (45%) or high (13%) phenotypic expression scores suggesting prenatal exposure to alcohol. Despite good physical care, stable daily routine, availability of well-trained specialists, and access to medical care, these vulnerable children show significant growth and developmental delays compared with their institutionalized peers.

Anthropometry↗

"Joubert syndrome" revisited: key ocular motor signs with magnetic resonance imaging correlation.

Joubert syndrome is characterized by episodic hyperpnea and apnea, developmental delay, hypotonia, truncal ataxia, ophthalmologic abnormalities, and vermian dysgenesis. We studied 15 patients with the diagnosis of Joubert syndrome to (1) more fully define the syndrome's clinical features, and (2) correlate the clinical features with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. Eight of 15 patients had a history of episodic hyperpnea and apnea. All patients had developmental delay and hypotonia. Of the 13 patients receiving detailed neuro-ophthalmologic evaluations, three had optic nerve dysplasia, pendular nystagmus, and gaze-holding nystagmus. All 13 patients had a normal vestibulo-ocular reflex based on head thrust, but had absent to poor ability to cancel the vestibulo-ocular reflex horizontally and vertically. Twelve of 13 patients had impaired smooth pursuit. Twelve of 13 patients had defects in initiation of saccades and quick phases. Two of the most consistent radiologic features were absent or hypoplastic posterior cerebellar vermis, and deformed midbrain and pontomesencephalic junction, which based on ocular motor physiology correlate with the vestibulo-ocular reflex cancellation/ pursuit defect and saccade initiation defect, respectively. As a result of midbrain, vermian, and superior cerebellar peduncle abnormalities, axial neuroimaging showed a unique "molar tooth" appearance of these structures. These results indicate that Joubert syndrome results from maldevelopment of the midbrain and cerebellar vermis, producing a pathognomonic sign on MRI.

Adolescent↗

Transient hypothyroidism in infants born to mothers with chronic thyroiditis--a nationwide study of twenty-three cases. The Transient Hypothyroidism Study Group.

To define the difference in prognosis and the clinical features of transient neonatal hypothyroidism in infants born to mothers with chronic thyroiditis, we conducted a nationwide study of this condition. Sixteen mothers with chronic thyroiditis and twenty-three of their offspring with transient hypothyroidism were registered and reported in this paper. Five (group A) of twenty-two live infants showed physical, mental and/or psychomotor developmental delay (IQ below 80). No significant difference between TSH-binding inhibitor immunoglobulin (TBII) or thyroid-stimulation blocking antibody (TSBAb) activities in groups A and B (normal development) were noted. Moreover, there was no significant difference in thyroid function in the newborn period, ages at the start of thyroid medication or the dose and duration of treatment in the two groups. A striking difference observed between the two groups was the thyroid function of their mothers during pregnancy. In group A, four mothers were hypothyroid during pregnancy, and another mother discontinued thyroid medication in the last trimester and her baby was most delayed at the start thyroid medication. On the other hand, the mothers of only two of seventeen live cases in group B had mild hypothyroidism during pregnancy. There were two sets of siblings whose mother received inadequate treatment during the first pregnancy and adequate treatment during the second pregnancy. The psychomotor, physical and mental developmental delay were observed in their first babies. These findings suggested that maternal thyroid function during pregnancy might be an important factor in the prognosis of infants born to mothers with chronic thyroiditis.

Adolescent↗

School performance at nine years of age in very premature and very low birth weight infants: perinatal risk factors and predictors at five years of age. Collaborative Project on Preterm and Small for Gestational Age (POPS) Infants in The Netherlands.

To assess the impact of both perinatal disorders and developmental problems identified at preschool age on school performance, we followed a virtually complete birth cohort of very premature (< 32 completed weeks of gestation) and very low birth weight infants until they were 9 years of age. In 84% of the survivors (n = 813), data on school performance were available for analysis. At the age of 9 years, 19% of the children were in special education. Of the children in mainstream education, 32% were in a grade below the appropriate level for age and 38% had special assistance. After correction for other perinatal items, children of low socioeconomic status and boys had significantly higher adjusted odds ratios for special education. Logistic regression with a perinatal and a 5-year time category showed that the most predictive factors for special education were developmental delay, neuromotor and speech/language function, inattention and hyperactivity score, total problem score, and reported school results at the age of 5 years. When children with disabilities were left out of the analysis, the importance of neuromotor function and total problem score disappeared. Increased risks of any school failure in nondisabled children included mild or severe developmental delay and marginal or poor school performance at the age of 5 years. Long-term follow-up with specific attention to these predictors at 5 years of age, although time-consuming, is necessary.

Birth Weight↗

Pregnancy outcome after gestational exposure to terfenadine: A multicenter, prospective controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Terfenadine is a selective, nonsedative, H(1)-blocker antihistamine used for a variety of allergic conditions. The widespread popularity of terfenadine and its use by many women in their reproductive age raises concerns regarding its safety during pregnancy. Presently, no prospective controlled study has addressed its safety during gestation. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether terfenadine use during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of major malformations, decreased birth weight, perinatal complications, or developmental delays. METHODS: A multicenter, prospective controlled study was performed. Pregnant women exposed to terfenadine during gestation were matched with control subjects exposed to drugs not known to adversely affect pregnancy outcome. The primary end point was the incidence of major malformations. Secondary outcomes of interest were pregnancy outcome, rates of preterm delivery, birth weight, and developmental milestones. RESULTS: One hundred eighteen women were exposed to terfenadine during pregnancy. Among those exposed during the first trimester (n = 65), rates of major malformations in the terfenadine group did not differ from rates in their matched control subjects (0% vs 2%; relative risk, 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.06-5.39; P =.53). The birth weight in the terfenadine-exposed newborns was significantly lower compared with that in their matched control subjects (3335 +/- 582 vs 3499 +/- 617 g; P =.04). However, the rates of birth weight below 2500 g and birth weight below the 10th percentile for gestational age were not different between the groups. Univariate and multiple regression analysis revealed that none of the terfenadine therapy-related factors (daily dose, duration of therapy, and trimester of exposure) had a significant predictive effect on birth weight. Gestational age at delivery, rates of preterm deliveries, and developmental milestones were comparable between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the limited sample size of this study, it appears that terfenadine is not associated with a 6-fold or greater increased incidence of major malformations. Terfenadine use during gestation was not associated with increased rates of prematurity or developmental delays. Further studies will be needed to confirm the finding of lower birth weight in newborns exposed to terfenadine.

Adult↗

PEX11 beta deficiency is lethal and impairs neuronal migration but does not abrogate peroxisome function.

Zellweger syndrome is a lethal neurological disorder characterized by severe defects in peroxisomal protein import. The resulting defects in peroxisome metabolism and the accumulation of peroxisomal substrates are thought to cause the other Zellweger syndrome phenotypes, including neuronal migration defects, hypotonia, a developmental delay, and neonatal lethality. These phenotypes are also manifested in mouse models of Zellweger syndrome generated by disruption of the PEX5 or PEX2 gene. Here we show that mice lacking peroxisomal membrane protein PEX11 beta display several pathologic features shared by these mouse models of Zellweger syndrome, including neuronal migration defects, enhanced neuronal apoptosis, a developmental delay, hypotonia, and neonatal lethality. However, PEX11 beta deficiency differs significantly from Zellweger syndrome and Zellweger syndrome mice in that it is not characterized by a detectable defect in peroxisomal protein import and displays only mild defects in peroxisomal fatty acid beta-oxidation and peroxisomal ether lipid biosynthesis. These results demonstrate that the neurological pathologic features of Zellweger syndrome can occur without peroxisomal enzyme mislocalization and challenge current models of Zellweger syndrome pathogenesis.

Animals↗

Intracranial navigation using a novel device for endoscope fixation and targeting: technical innovation.

Intracranial endoscopy involves point-to-point navigation: first, in the introduction of the endoscope into a cerebrospinal fluid-containing space and, second, in the identification of a target structure. We report testing and preliminary clinical use of a device for the direct cranial fixation and point-to-point neuronavigation of a rigid ventricular endoscope. An 18-month-old female child presented with rapidly progressive macrocephaly, developmental delay and left hemiparesis. Neuroimaging revealed a large suprasellar cyst and obstructive hydrocephalus. We adapted a ball-stem device with an endoscopic working channel for direct cranial fixation over a burr hole. This device was successfully used in conjunction with MR-based neuronavigation to fenestrate the cyst. Seven months after the operation her developmental delay, macrocephaly and hemiparesis resolved. This device may be particularly effective in cases of small ventricles, ambiguous intra-ventricular landmarks, and in children too young for head-holder immobilization.

Arachnoid Cysts↗