Alternative Names
Cerebellar ataxia; Ataxia – acute cerebellar; Cerebellitis
Definition of Acute cerebellar ataxia
Acute cerebellar ataxia is sudden onset of .
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Acute cerebellar ataxia is most common in children, especially those younger than age 3. It often occurs several weeks after a viral illness.
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).
Signs and tests
The doctor will ask you if you have been recently sick, and try to rule out any other causes for the problem. . A full neurological examination will be done to identify the areas of the nervous system most affected.
Treatment
Ataxia may go away without treatment after a few weeks to months. However, physical therapy may be helpful in improving coordination.
Expectations (prognosis)
Full recovery usually occurs without treatment within a few months.
Review
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 3/26/2009
