Neurologic findings of nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in children

We report herein our interesting case series of 15 infants admitting with neurological symptoms who were found to have vitamin B12 deficiency. Infants who were admitted to our hospital between 2004 and 2007 with neurological symptoms and were found to have vitamin B12 deficiency were included...

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Main Authors: Faruk Incecik, M Ozlem Hergüner, Sakir Altunbaşak, Göksel Leblebisatan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hacettepe University Institute of Child Health 2010-02-01
Series:The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
Online Access:https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/4956
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author Faruk Incecik
M Ozlem Hergüner
Sakir Altunbaşak
Göksel Leblebisatan
author_facet Faruk Incecik
M Ozlem Hergüner
Sakir Altunbaşak
Göksel Leblebisatan
author_sort Faruk Incecik
collection DOAJ
description We report herein our interesting case series of 15 infants admitting with neurological symptoms who were found to have vitamin B12 deficiency. Infants who were admitted to our hospital between 2004 and 2007 with neurological symptoms and were found to have vitamin B12 deficiency were included in this study. Data regarding clinical and laboratory features were obtained. Of 15 infants, 9 were boys (60%) and 6 were girls (40%). The mean age was 11.7 months. Anorexia, pallor, hypotonia, and neurodevelopmental retardation were present in all infants. Seizures and tremor were observed in 46.6% (7/15) and 33% (5/15) of patients, respectively. Seizures were generalized tonic-clonic in 4 patients, generalized tonic in 1 patient and focal in 2 patients. Four patients had tremor on admission and 1 patient had occurrence after vitamin B12 treatment. Vitamin B12 deficiency may lead to serious neurological deficits in addition to megaloblastic anemia. Persistent neurological damage can be prevented with early diagnosis and treatment. We believe that a thorough clinical and neurological assessment might prevent failure to notice rare but possible vitamin B12 deficiency in infants with neurological deficits and neurodevelopmental retardation.
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publisher Hacettepe University Institute of Child Health
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series The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
spelling doaj-art-ef9a4e14bac346139b64d52e05f154fc2025-08-20T02:01:53ZengHacettepe University Institute of Child HealthThe Turkish Journal of Pediatrics0041-43012791-64212010-02-01521Neurologic findings of nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in childrenFaruk Incecik0M Ozlem HergünerSakir AltunbaşakGöksel LeblebisatanDivisions of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, tukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Adana, Turkey. We report herein our interesting case series of 15 infants admitting with neurological symptoms who were found to have vitamin B12 deficiency. Infants who were admitted to our hospital between 2004 and 2007 with neurological symptoms and were found to have vitamin B12 deficiency were included in this study. Data regarding clinical and laboratory features were obtained. Of 15 infants, 9 were boys (60%) and 6 were girls (40%). The mean age was 11.7 months. Anorexia, pallor, hypotonia, and neurodevelopmental retardation were present in all infants. Seizures and tremor were observed in 46.6% (7/15) and 33% (5/15) of patients, respectively. Seizures were generalized tonic-clonic in 4 patients, generalized tonic in 1 patient and focal in 2 patients. Four patients had tremor on admission and 1 patient had occurrence after vitamin B12 treatment. Vitamin B12 deficiency may lead to serious neurological deficits in addition to megaloblastic anemia. Persistent neurological damage can be prevented with early diagnosis and treatment. We believe that a thorough clinical and neurological assessment might prevent failure to notice rare but possible vitamin B12 deficiency in infants with neurological deficits and neurodevelopmental retardation. https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/4956
spellingShingle Faruk Incecik
M Ozlem Hergüner
Sakir Altunbaşak
Göksel Leblebisatan
Neurologic findings of nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in children
The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
title Neurologic findings of nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in children
title_full Neurologic findings of nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in children
title_fullStr Neurologic findings of nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in children
title_full_unstemmed Neurologic findings of nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in children
title_short Neurologic findings of nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in children
title_sort neurologic findings of nutritional vitamin b12 deficiency in children
url https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/4956
work_keys_str_mv AT farukincecik neurologicfindingsofnutritionalvitaminb12deficiencyinchildren
AT mozlemherguner neurologicfindingsofnutritionalvitaminb12deficiencyinchildren
AT sakiraltunbasak neurologicfindingsofnutritionalvitaminb12deficiencyinchildren
AT gokselleblebisatan neurologicfindingsofnutritionalvitaminb12deficiencyinchildren