Acute cerebellar ataxia
Definition
Acute cerebellar ataxia is sudden onset of uncoordinated muscle movement.
Causes
Acute cerebellar ataxia is most common in children, especially those younger than age 3. It often occurs several weeks after a viral illness.
Viral infections that may cause this include chickenpox, Coxsackie disease, Epstein-Barr, and mycoplasma pneumonia.
Exposure to older insecticides called organophosphates or other toxins may also cause ataxia.
Symptoms
Ataxia may affect movement of the middle part of the body from the neck to the hip area (the trunk) or the arms and legs (limbs).
When the person is sitting, the body may move side-to-side, back-to-front, or both, and quickly move back to an upright position.
When a person with ataxia of the arms reaches for an object, their hand may sway back and forth.
Common symptoms of ataxia are listed below.
- Sudden, uncoordinated movement
- Walking problems (unsteady gait)
- Sudden (nystagmus) or uncoordinated eye movements
- Clumsy speech pattern (dysarthria)
Treatment
Ataxia may go away without treatment after a few weeks to months. However, physical therapy may be helpful in improving coordination.
Prognosis
Full recovery usually occurs without treatment within a few months.