New Onset Insomnia in a Pediatric Patient: A Case of Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis

Abstract EN

Anti-NMDAR encephalitis is becoming more widely recognized as a cause of encephalopathy in both adults and children.

Certain clinical features such as mood lability, movement disorders, speech dysfunction, seizures, and autonomic instability in a pediatric patient should prompt immediate concern and evaluation for autoimmune encephalitis among providers.

We present the case of a pediatric patient with anti-NMDAR encephalitis in which the symptom prompting medical evaluation was insomnia.

Insomnia has not previously been emphasized in the literature as a presenting feature of this disease in children and has a broad differential.

Recognition of the symptoms of anti-NMDAR encephalitis and its variable presentation are key to early diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment which may help to improve outcomes.