Abstract:

Benign recurrent sixth (abducens) nerve palsies in childhood are associated with increased intracranial pressure, neoplasms, trauma or previous viral and bacterial infection diseases. Recurrent sixth nerve palsy is an uncommon clinical picture. The etiology is currently not well described. We report a case who had recurrent sixth nerve palsy based on low serum vitamin A levels. A 13-year-old healthy boy complained about severe headache and inability to look to the left side due to 6th nerve palsy on his left eye and mentioned that the symptoms were repeated every 8 months. He was admitted to the Pediatric Neurology Clinic, with the diagnosis of recurrent 6th nerve palsy. He was treated with vitamin A supplements due to low vitamin A serum levels. The symptoms resolved significantly after the medical treatment was initiated. His parents did not allow us to perform lumbar puncture. However, symptoms such as headache and vomiting especially in the mornings due to high intracranial pressure and sixth nerve palsy without papilledema indicated idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Previous studies have reported pseudotumor cerebri related to hypovitaminosis A. We present a pediatric case with pseudotumor cerebri and hypovitaminosis A, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients with recurrent 6th nerve palsy

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