Steroid-responsive encephalopathy in autoimmune thyroiditis in a 2-year-old child after COVID-19 infection: A case report

Abstract

In pediatric patients, neurological manifestation of COVID-19 infection has been reported in acute and postinfectious stages. Hashimoto encephalopathy (HE) is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in children with prevalence being 1.2%. More than 200 cases of HE have been reported in adults. Only 60 cases have been reported in children. We present a case of a 2-year-old girl with status epilepticus and respiratory failure needing prolonged ventilation. Her COVID-19 antibody and antithyroid antibodies (anti-thyroid peroxidase and anti-thyroglobulin) were positive. Her thyroid profile was abnormal. Her clinical state improved after receiving an intravenous immunoglobulin and pulse dose of methylprednisolone. This suggests that complete recovery for such patients can be achieved with early detection and immunomodulatory treatment.