Seizures in Children with Influenza during the 2022–2023 Winter Season, a Case Series

TL;DR

This case series reports four children with influenza who developed neurological complications, including seizures, during the 2022–2023 winter season.

Contribution

The study provides a clinical overview of rare neurological complications in children with influenza and their management.

Findings

Four children with influenza presented neurological symptoms, including seizures.

Neurological complications of influenza remain challenging to diagnose and lack specific guidelines.

Patients underwent invasive diagnostic procedures and empirical treatments before a correct diagnosis was made.

Abstract

Influenza is a viral infection presenting with general symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, and involvement of airways or the gastrointestinal tract. The nervous system may be involved, but less frequently. These neurological complications remain challenging to diagnose; moreover, no guidelines for management and treatment exist. Therefore, when presenting with neurological symptoms, patients undergo invasive diagnostic procedures and empirical treatments before making the correct diagnosis. During the winter of 2022–2023, four children between nine months and nine years of age were admitted to the Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland, complaining of influenza and neurological complications. This report presents the symptoms of neurological manifestation and the treatment management of the four patients. All the legally authorized representatives gave their written informed consent before study inclusion.