Neurologic manifestations in children with North American Lyme disease

Abstract

To delineate the spectrum of neurologic manifestations and the relative frequencies of different syndromes associated with North American Lyme disease, we describe 96 children referred for neurologic problems in the setting of Borrelia burgdorferi infection. The most frequent neurologic symptom was headache, and the most common sign was facial palsy. Less common manifestations were sleep disturbance, and papilledema associated with increased intracranial pressure. Signs and symptoms of peripheral nervous system involvement were infrequent. The most common clinical syndromes were mild encephalopathy, lymphocytic meningitis, and cranial neuropathy (facial nerve palsy). In contrast with adult patients with neurologic Lyme disease, meningoradiculitis (Bannwarth's syndrome) and peripheral neuropathy syndromes were rare. However, a "pseudotumor cerebri-like" syndrome seems to be unique to North American pediatric Lyme disease.