Opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS) is an exceptionally rare neurological condition characterized by the disruption of the autoimmune process affecting the nervous system. While OMS can manifest at any age, it predominantly affects children below three years old. Typically, children with OMS exhibit normal development and birth history until around 12-36 months of age.
At this juncture, an unidentified trigger activates the immune system excessively, leading to its failure to regulate itself. Around half of OMS cases are associated with neuroblastoma, a cancer of the sympathetic nervous system found in infants and children. In instances where neuroblastoma is absent, the immune system targets the brainstem, resulting in varied bodily complications, including:
- Impaired speech
- Affected gross and fine motor skills
- Vision impairment
- Severe balance issues
Symptoms:
OMS is often misdiagnosed as other conditions such as cerebellar ataxia or inner ear infections. Timely diagnosis is crucial to accurately assess the disease’s long-term impact on the child. Symptoms of OMS include:
- Rapid, unpredictable eye movements without intersaccadic quick rotations
- Truncal and appendicular ataxia
- Dysphasia, a language disorder stemming from brain damage
- Sleep disturbances
- Mutism, wherein a person does not speak despite prior evidence of speech ability
- Lethargy or malaise
- Drooling
- Strabismus
- Vomiting
- Myoclonus, characterized by brief, involuntary muscle twitches.