Concurrent Guillain-Barré syndrome and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in a child: A case report from Bangladesh

Abstract

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) are postinfectious, inflammatory, and neurological disorders involving the peripheral and central nervous system, respectively. Although the clinical features are distinct, they share a common pathogenesis. Both the disorders are not uncommon in children. Concurrent GBS and ADEM occurring simultaneously is a rare entity. We are reporting a case of a 5-year-old boy presenting with acute-onset ascending paralysis with irritability, hyperreflexia, and positive Babinski sign. This patient was diagnosed as having both GBS and ADEM. The CSF albumin-cytological disassociation, electrophysiological diagnosis, and MRI of brain supported the concurrent present of the two disorders.