What is the nodding disease?

Nodding syndrome is an unexplained neurologic condition characterized by episodes of repetitive dropping forward of the head, often accompanied by other seizure-like activity, such as convulsions or staring spells.

Where is nodding disease found?

Nodding disease is a disease which emerged in Sudan in the 1960s. It is a mentally and physically disabling disease that only affects children, typically between the ages of 5 and 15. It is currently restricted to small regions in South Sudan, Tanzania, and northern Uganda.

What is head nodding a symptom of?

The symptoms of essential tremor include: affects the voluntary muscles (the muscles that you can consciously move) head nodding, if the head is affected. shaky, quivering voice, if the larynx (voice box) is affected.

What is the cause of nodding syndrome?

Nodding syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that has affected thousands of children between the ages of 5 and 15 years in East Africa, may be caused by an inappropriate immune reaction to the parasitic worm, Onchocerca volvulus, that causes onchocerciasis (river blindness), according to a report published in Science …

When was nodding disease first noted?

It was first reported in the 1960s, in what is now southern Tanzania, then in Liberia, and later in South Sudan and northern Uganda, with both epidemic and endemic patterns described. The cause remains unknown.

What does staring spells mean?

You may have “staring spells” without thinking of them as a medical problem or a seizure. An EEG is a test most often used to diagnose absence seizures. This test records the brain’s electrical activity and spots any abnormalities that could indicate an absence seizure.

What is excessive nodding?

Too Much Head Nodding Nodding your head in agreement while speaking with another person can be a good thing when done gently and subtly. But if you nod your head too much and too vigorously, it sends an uncomfortable message that you’re trying to agree with everything.

What is bobble head syndrome?

Bobble – head syndrome (BHDS) is a complex and rare syndrome with repetitive anteroposterior head movements. It is usually associated with expansile lesions in the third ventricular region. We present a 9 year old child with a giant suprasellar arachnoid cyst causing involuntary head movements.

What is a head drop seizure?

In an atonic seizure, a person suddenly loses muscle tone so their head or body may go limp. They are also known as drop attacks. In some children, only their head drops suddenly. Atonic seizures can begin in one area or side of the brain (focal onset) or both sides of the brain (generalized onset).

What does a silent seizure look like?

Someone having an absence seizure may look like he or she is staring blankly into space for a few seconds. Then, there is a quick return to a normal level of alertness. This type of seizure usually doesn’t lead to physical injury.

Is nodding too much bad?

It makes you look disinterested and too relaxed. It is a good practice to nod at people while listening to them as it shows you are interested in what they are talking and are paying attention. Also, nodding too much can make you seem spineless or sycophantic.

Where does nodding disease occur in the world?

Nodding disease. Nodding disease or nodding syndrome is a recent, little-known disease which emerged in Sudan in the 1960s. It is a mentally and physically disabling disease that only affects children, typically between the ages of 5 and 15. It is currently restricted to small regions in South Sudan, Tanzania, and northern Uganda.

How old are the children with nodding disease?

Nodding disease is a disease which emerged in Sudan in the 1960s. It is a mentally and physically disabling disease that only affects children, typically between the ages of 5 and 15.

What causes nodding disease in children in Africa?

February 2017- Scientists may have solved the mystery of nodding syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that has disabled thousands of children in East Africa. The syndrome seems to be caused by the immune system’s response to a parasitic worm, an international team reports in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Where is nodding disease located in South Sudan?

Map of counties of South Sudan affected by nodding disease. Several of these are in the Central Equatoria state, in the south of the country near the border with Uganda; Juba on the White Nile is the nation’s capital.