Altered consciousness: abdominal origin?

Enrique La Orden Izquierdo^a, M Fernández Ibieta^b, Irene Cuadrado Pérez^b, C Palomino Muñoz^b, José Tomás Ramos Amador^c

^aUnidad de Gastroenterología y Nutrición. Servicio de Pediatría. Hospital Infanta Elena. Valdemoro. Madrid. España.
^bPediatra. Servicio de Pediatría. Hospital Universitario de Getafe. Madrid. España.
^cServicio de Pediatría. Hospital Clínico Universitario San Carlos. Madrid. España.

Correspondence: E La Orden. E-mail: e_o_izquierdo@yahoo.es

Reference of this article: La Orden Izquierdo E, Fernández Ibieta M, Cuadrado Pérez I, Palomino Muñoz C, Ramos Amador JT. Altered consciousness: abdominal origin? Rev Pediatr Aten Primaria. 2010;12:67-72.

Published in Internet: 31-03-2010 - Visits: 20111

Abstract

Intussusception is a common cause of acute abdomen and intestinal obstruction in children between 3 months and 6 years old. We describe a case of a 2-year-old child who went to the emergency department for an episode of headache, vomiting and low reactivity to stimuli. After an initial study to rule out potential causes of altered mental status, an abdominal ultrasound gave the diagnosis of ileo-ileal intussusception. The subsequent resolution was spontaneous. Abdominal causes should be excluded in the pediatric age in case of changes in level of consciousness that are unexplained by other conditions. Abdominal ultrasound is a noninvasive technique that can help the diagnosis.

Keywords

● Abdominal pain ● Altered consciousness ● Intussusception

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