Encephalitis is a disease seen as inflammation inside brain. With respect to the aspects of the brain affected, symptoms can differ widely. These symptoms can sometimes include:
Seizures
Behavior or personality changes
Abnormal movements
Difficulty maintaining balance
Trouble thinking or speaking
Weakness
Numbness
Problems sleeping
Encephalitis has several specific names regarding the circumstances under which it arises. When encephalitis occurs with out a clear reason, method . autoimmune encephalitis. Post-infectious encephalitis occurs following infection. If encephalitis occurs in the setting of a tumor or cancer, method . paraneoplastic encephalitis.
Anti-NMDA-receptor encephalitis is regarded as the common form of autoimmune encephalitis in kids. It is a result of the presence of antibodies within a specific the main nerve cells from the brain, called NMDA-receptors. In youngsters, this form of encephalitis is never associated with a tumor called an ovarian teratoma.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing autoimmune encephalitis can be challenging. Our team’s initial step is usually to do a thorough medical workup of your respective child. We’re going to document her or his complete history and perform tests, such as a neurologic examination, imaging from the brain (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and spinal fluid analysis.
All of us typically will perform blood testing to evaluate your son or daughter for signs of inflammation and autoimmune disorders. In addition we may test for specific antibodies in the blood and spinal fluid, that may be useful when you are setting up a diagnosis. The existence of a certain antibody is not needed to make a diagnosis. In addition we may screen for an underlying tumor, which generally involves whole-body imaging.
Treatment
Treatment from the hospital is aimed at decreasing the quantity of inflammation as part of your child’s brain. We may use high doses of steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin and plasmapheresis. If needed, your child could also receive additional immunotherapies, such as rituximab or cyclophosphamide.
Our team may also use medications to treat symptoms caused by encephalitis. If your little child has seizures, we might prescribe antiepileptic medications. For mood changes, we might prescribe antipsychotic and antidepressant medications.
Long-term follow-up with this team is important to handle possible consequences of encephalitis for example seizures, mood and personality changes, and learning problems.
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