Boy, 4, suffers stroke after ear pain, vomiting and fever
A young boy has suffered a stroke after suffering a fever, headaches and vomiting.
The boy, 4, had a number of symptoms including a cough and “purulent nasal discharge”, according to his case in the British Medical Journal Case Reports.
After being admitted to hospital he began having muscle contractions in his limbs.
The boy was sedated and doctors noticed redness on the left eardrum and pus in the left ear canal, without a heart murmur, stiff neck or Kernig’s sign.
A Kernig’s sign is when doctors check stiffness of the hamstrings as a symptom of meningitis.
Doctors determined the pus in the left ear was enough for a diagnosis of acute suppurative otitis media (AOM). Otitis media is also known as a middle ear infection and AOM is when pus in the ear is observed.
An MRI was conducted and two lesions of hemorrhagic infarctions were seen in the boy’s brain.
Doctors determined the boy had suffered a hemorrhagic infarction or stroke. Bacteria was also found in his cerebrospinal fluid.
“AOM can occasionally cause cerebral complications, including bacterial meningitis, brain abscesses and lateral sinus thrombosis,” researchers wrote.
“Haemorrhagic infarction caused by AOM is extremely rare.”
The boy was given antibiotics and released from hospital.
It’s not clear exactly what his condition is but doctors noted he had difficulty moving his right hand.
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