Acute transverse myelitis in a 7-month-old boy.

Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) is an acute intramedullary spinal cord disease characterized by an abrupt onset of rapidly progressive weakness of the extremities accompanied by a loss of sensation and sphincter control. Although ATM has an important place in childhood spinal cord disorders, its occurrence remains extremely uncommon in the infant population (0 to 12 months old). This report of a 7-month-old boy with ATM is followed by a discussion of the case and review of the literature regarding etiology, diagnosis, and prognosis for neurological recovery.