Scurvy in a Pediatric Patient With Autism and Limp: A Case Report

Limping is a common chief complaint in the pediatric emergency department (ED) and can be difficult to assess in pediatric patients, particularly if they have developmental delay. We present a case of a 5-year-old male with nonverbal autism who presented with a progressive limp, weakness, pain, and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of emergency medicine 2021-03, Vol.60 (3), p.e53-e56
Main Authors: Luckow, Christopher, Thomas, Anita A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
developmental delay
pediatric limp
scurvy
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Summary:Limping is a common chief complaint in the pediatric emergency department (ED) and can be difficult to assess in pediatric patients, particularly if they have developmental delay. We present a case of a 5-year-old male with nonverbal autism who presented with a progressive limp, weakness, pain, and rash over the course of 1 month. A magnetic resonance imaging scan of the pelvis performed while the patient was sedated revealed multifocal osseous marrow signal abnormalities, ultimately consistent with vitamin C deficiency or scurvy. Scurvy can present with nonspecific limp, rash, and bony pain and should be considered in pediatric patients with developmental/sensory delay who may restrict their diets. Emergency physicians should broaden their differential diagnoses to nutritional deficiencies such as scurvy in the evaluation of pediatric patients with limp.
ISSN:0736-4679
2352-5029
DOI:10.1016/j.jemermed.2020.09.036