A 17-Year-Old Boy With High-Functioning Autism, Gastrointestinal Illness, and Seizures

Pediatrics. 2019 Jan;143(1):e20173964. doi: 10.1542/peds.2017-3964. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Abstract

A healthy 17-year-old boy with a high-functioning pervasive developmental disorder presented to the emergency department after having a 4-minute episode of seizure-like activity in the setting of presumed viral gastroenteritis. Within an hour of emergency department arrival, he developed a forehead-sparing facial droop, right-sided ptosis, and expressive aphasia, prompting stroke team assessment and urgent neuroimaging. Laboratory results later revealed a serum sodium of 119 mmol/L. Neurologic deficits self-resolved, and a full physical examination revealed diffuse abdominal tenderness in the lower abdomen with rebound tenderness in the right-lower quadrant. The patient was admitted to the PICU for electrolyte management and monitoring. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen obtained the following morning revealed the patient's final diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain / complications
  • Abdominal Pain / diagnostic imaging*
  • Abdominal Pain / surgery
  • Adolescent
  • Appendicitis / complications
  • Appendicitis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Appendicitis / surgery
  • Autistic Disorder / complications
  • Autistic Disorder / diagnostic imaging*
  • Autistic Disorder / surgery
  • Gastroenteritis / complications
  • Gastroenteritis / diagnostic imaging
  • Gastroenteritis / surgery
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Seizures / complications
  • Seizures / diagnostic imaging*
  • Seizures / surgery