Objective: Characterize a group of pediatric patients with transient dystonia of infancy.

Background: Transient dystonia of infancy is a Developmental and Benign Movement Disorder characterized by an abnormal posture of an upper limb that disappears with voluntary movements. The typical arm posture is a forearm pronation with wrist hyperflexion. It could be associated with truncal or lower limb dystonia. These manifestations appear during the first 5-10 months of life and then gradually disappear after 3 months to 5 years. Psychomotor development is normal. Brain MRI should be realized. Treatment is not required.

Methods: Prospective-descriptive study conducted from 2001 to 2017, with an ad-hoc protocol of data logging (familiar background, age at onset, diagnostic and resolution, physical examination, diagnostic tests, treatments and evolution). Movements were verified by direct observation or videos.

Results: 25 children. 18/25 male. Mean age at onset: 5.7 months. Mean time between onset of symptoms and diagnostic: 1.5 months. Mean duration of symptoms: 9.5 months. 25/25 without familiar neither perinatal background. 25/25 with normal neurological examination. More frequents diagnostic tests: 14/25 brain MRI, 10/25 EEG, 5/25 brain CT, 4/25 cervical spine MRI; all of them with normal results. 25/25 without need of specific treatments. 25/25 with favorable outcomes.

Conclusions: In our series most of the patients were males, with age at onset lower than 6 months and duration of symptoms lower than 10 months. Patients presented normal neurological examination, normal diagnostics tests and favorable outcomes with spontaneous resolution. It is important keep this diagnostic in mind and avoid unnecessary studies and treatments.

References: Bonnet C, et al. Developmental and Benign Movement Disorders in Childhood. Movement Disorders Volume 25, Issue 10, 2010, Pages 1317–1334.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/transient-dystonia-of-infancy-25-cases/