A Case of Lethal Catatonia in a Child

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 12(3); 1994 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 1994;12(3): 566-570.

소아에서 발생한 치명적 긴장병 1례

방오영, 이준홍,김돈수,조태영,허균

연세대학교 신경과.

A Case of Lethal Catatonia in a Child

Oh Young Bang, M.D., Jun Hong Lee, M.D., Doon Soo Kim, M.D., Tae Young Cho, M.D., Kyoon Huh, M.D.

Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University

Abstract

Lethal catatonia is a life-threatening febrile neuropsychiatric syndrome, mainly consist of bizzare behavior, mounting fever, extreme hyperactivity, stuporous exhaustion and evenlual death. Although the entity has been reported in the literaure for over 160 years, the rarity of the illness makes prompt recognition being very difficult tasks, particularly in young children. We experienced a typical case of lethal catatonia in 7-year-old boy who previously had no organic illness. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was the most successful mode of treatment among many therapies attempted. We feel that this could be the youngest case in the literature of lethal catatonia.