Benign paroxysmal vertigo in childhood.

Fifteen children with a syndrome called benign paroxysmal vertigo are presented. This syndrome is characterized by attacks of vertigo of sudden onset lasting a few minutes and in extreme cases several hours or even up to 2 days. Additional symptoms are pallor, sweating, vomiting and nystagmus. Consciousness is not impaired. The attacks usually occur in the first 4 years of life. They are recurrent, the appearance varying from several times a week to once a year, and they may cease spontaneously after only months but usually years. The most important differential diagnoses are epilepsy and posterior fossa tumour. The etiology is unknown, but there may be a vascular disturbance affecting the posterior cerebral circulation with secondary disturbances of the vestibular nuclei.