Chiari Malformation Type 1 as Cause of Recurrent Pneumonia with Failure to Thrive

Soumya Roy,Subroto Chakrabartty

doi:10.3126/jnps.v36i3.15196

Abstract

Diagnosing the cause of recurrent pneumonia with failure to thrive (FTT) can be difficult. A nine months age presented with recurrent pneumonia and failure to thrive. Investigation for the same led to the diagnosis of Chiari 1 malformation. Screening for latent neurological disorders should be done in such patients.J Nepal Paediatr Soc 2016;36(3):288-290

Highlights

Recurrent pneumonia is defined as more than one episode of pneumonia in one year or more than three episodes in a lifetime with documented radiologic clearance in between[1]
Nine months old male child presented with complaints of cough and mild to moderate respiratory distress with failure to thrive
It must be borne in mind that gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a separate entity[4] from oromotor incoordination and can contribute to recurrent pneumonia

Summary

Introduction

Recurrent pneumonia is defined as more than one episode of pneumonia in one year or more than three episodes in a lifetime with documented radiologic clearance in between[1]. Nine months old male child presented with complaints of cough and mild to moderate respiratory distress with failure to thrive. He was previously admitted at our institute at three months of age and was under follow-up over the last seven months. Child was born at term with birth weight 2.6 kg and had uneventful perinatal history His body weight at three months of age was 3 kg and at nine months of age was 4.7 kg, which was less than the 1st percentile of the IAP standard[2].

Discussion

Conclusion