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Survivors of critical illness, including those with COVID-19, are likely to experience post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). PICS involves a constellation of physical, cognitive, and mental health problems that can occur following hospitalization in an intensive care unit (ICU). This focused review describes the impact of PICS on an individual's function, societal participation, and family. Specific evidence-based screening tools for in-home identification of the deficits associated with PICS are recommended. Recognition of PICS through early screening by home health care providers is crucial in order to assemble the physical rehabilitation, mental health, and community resources needed to mitigate the long-term effects of COVID-19 and other critical illnesses. This review concludes with further PICS resources for community-based providers to enhance their knowledge and expertise and to prepare them for caring for COVID-19 and other critical illness survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies (MOG-Abs) are a well-recognized cause of acquired demyelinating syndromes in both adult and children. Despite basal ganglia involvement on imaging, movement disorder is not a cardinal feature. We describe a 2-year-9-month-old girl who presented with severe encephalopathy with aphasia, seizures and a complex movement disorder with dystonic posturing and tonic eye deviation. Neuroimaging revealed subtle asymmetrical predominantly white matter signal changes. MOG-Abs were positive in the serum. Other known pathogenic autoantibodies including N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibodies (NMDAR-Abs) were negative. The patient made a complete recovery following 2-week corticosteroid treatment. This case highlights the need for MOG-Ab testing in children with suspected autoimmune encephalopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of children with prenatal drug exposure in a clinical context. A hospital-based cohort of 10- to 14-year-old children, prenatally exposed to alcohol, opioids, and polysubstances, and a group of sex- and age-matched controls were examined with cerebral MRI. Scans obtained from 34 exposed children and 40 controls were scored based on the presence and degree of pathology by an experienced pediatric neuroradiologist blinded to the participants’ background. Overall visual detectable MRI pathology was found in 35% of the exposed children and 33% of the controls (odds ratio = 1.08; 95% confidence interval = 0.36-3.25). No specific imaging pattern following prenatal drug exposure was seen by the means of simple visual analysis of cerebral MRI scans. Although cerebral MRI is feasible, it is probably of limited value in the clinical assessment of children with prenatal drug exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines ventricular system measurements and the differences in ventricular size between healthy controls and young adults who were born premature. It mentions that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations were conducted. It shows that young adults born prematurely do not have bigger lateral ventricles.

Neurological impairment is common in resource-poor countries, but its causes are not clear. Computerized tomography (CT) of the brain has been used to determine the cause of brain insults that may manifest as neurological impairments. The authors conducted a community survey in Kilifi of 10218 children aged 6 to 9 years to detect neurological impairment. From this survey, 34 children were identified, of whom 16 had motor deficits, 11 complex partial seizures, 4 microcephaly or macrocephaly, and 3 severe developmental delay. These children were assessed with elicitation of history, physical examination, and CT scan of the brain. Sixteen (47%) of the scans showed abnormalities: cerebral atrophy (n = 9), schizencephaly (n = 3), periventricular leukomalacia (n = 2), porencephalic cyst (n = I), and agenesis of the corpus callosum (n = 1). The minimum prevalence of abnormalities on the CT scan of the brain is 1.56 of 1000, and the prevalence of schizencephaly is 0.29 of 1000. Motor impairments were more likely to show abnormality than the other indications. CT abnormalities are common in children with neurological impairment in Kenya, but the appearances did not identify a major cause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]