Pneumococcal serum opsonizing activity in splenectomized children

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of the distribution of weakness involving glossal musculature is unknown. Other genetically related associations with familial infantile myasthenia gravis include mental retardation, familial hypoand hyperthyroidism, and rheumatoid arthritis? An occasional child with myasthenia gravis may have a spontaneous remission even after many years of illness. By contrast, the requirements for medication in our patient have steadily increased. Treatment with anticholinergic drugs has been maintained. Thymectomy has not been performed. There are no published data available on thymectomy in the congenital or infantile familial forms of myasthenia gravis, and no associated thymic neoplasm has ever been reported. The association of episodes of myasthenic crises with intercurrent fever has been striking in our patient. Episodes of severe bulbar failure have almost always accompanied an identifiable infection, usually recurrent acute otitis media. Infantile familial myasthenia gravis should be considered a preventable cause of infantile mortality. Signs of dysphagia, airway obstruction, and hypotonia in the newborn or young infant should lead to a consideration of myasthenia gravis and anticholinesterase drugs should be administered to infants who appear with such a history under conditions which include severe ventilatory failure. Although there are few published photographs of myasthenic infants, the facial appearance of children with infantile myasthenia gravis may strongly aid in diagnosis.