Affiliations: Pediatric Service of the Hospital "Felipe Guevara
Rojas", El Tigre-Anzoátegui, Venezuela | Epilepsy and Encephalography Unit, Clinical Center
"Esperanza Paraco", El Tigre-Anzoátegui, Venezuela
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. José Guevara Campos, Calle 26
Sur.Qta. "Sinamaica", El Tigre-Anzoátegui 6034, Venezuela. Fax: +58
0283 2410349; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: We reviewed the etiologic aspects, clinical symptoms, complementary
studies, differential diagnosis and treatment of alternating hemiplegia of
childhood (AHC). AHC is an uncommon illness of uncertain pathophysiology that
provokes crisis of transient hemiplegia affecting one hemibody or occasionally
both at the same time. Clinical symptoms of AHC usually begin before the age of
18 months and in some cases may present in the neonatal period. Clinical
symptoms include abnormal ocular movements such as nystagmus and dystonic or
tonic posturing. Hemiplegic attacks are not associated with alteration of
consciousness. Hemiplegia may disappear after arousal and may reappear 10 to 20
minutes after arousal in children with AHC. The diagnosis of AHC is clinically
made, and most of the clinically used diagnostic tests result in negative. The
treatment of AHC includes flunarizine. It is necessary to suspect this
diagnosis to identify patients with AHC.
