Acute cerebellar ataxia

• Acute cerebellar ataxia :

Is a sudden un-co-ordinated  muscle movement to disease/injury of  cerebellum

• May occur in children ,particularly younger than 3,lasts upto several days or weeks,after a viral infection .
• Cause: viral infections(chickenpox, echovirus ) 

Other causes include:

1. Abscess of cerebellum. 
2. Alcohol, medicine, insecticides or illicit drugs.
3. Bleeding into the cerebellum .
4. Multiple sclerosis .
5. Strokes of cerebellum. 
6. Vaccination. 
7. Trauma of head/neck
8. Para-neo-plastic disorders (certain diseases associated with specific cancers).

• Symptoms:

1. Mainly trunk &limbs movements  are affected. 
2. Dysarthria:clumsy speech pattern. 
3. Nystagmus:repetitive eye movement;un-co-ordinated  eye movement. 
4. Un-steady gaits:walking problems which may lead to fall. 

• Diagnosis:

1. The health care provider may ask:if the person has recently been sick. 
2. Following tests may be needed:

• CT-scan of head 
• MRI-scan of head 
• Spinal tap 
• Blood tests to detect the infection (caused by the bacterial/virus)
• Treatment:

1. Cerebellar ataxia caused by a recent viral  infection may not need treatment. 
2. Antibiotics/antivirals may be needed. 
3. If ACA is due to bleeding, surgery may be needed. 
4. For a stroke, medicine to thin the blood is given. 
5. Corticosteroids may be needed for cerebellar inflammation (multiple sclerosis).