Guillain-Barré syndrome in a child: a clinical case

Guillain-Barré syndrome is an orphan autoimmune disease associated with the involvement of the peripheral nervous system. The clinical course of the syndrome has four main types. We present a clinical case of Guillain-Barré syndrome in a 6-year old child. Against the background of a previous infection, he developed oculomotor dysfunction, peripheral tetraparesis, sensory abnormalities with subsequent severe weakness of the respiratory muscles. The differential diagnosis included inflammatory, infectious and neoplastic spinal cord disorders, spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging, and examination of the cerebrospinal fluid. The patient's electromyographic data confirmed peripheral nerve damage. Based on all of these, the patient was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. Specific treatment, including plasmapheresis and intravenous human immunoglobulin G at a dose of 0.4 mg daily for 5 days, and symptomatic treatment resulted in gradual improvement and complete regression of the neurological symptoms completely resolved. Since Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare disease of the peripheral nervous system, the awareness of the specifics of its clinical course allows for earlier correct diagnosis and effective treatment.