[Multiple sclerosis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in children: a difficult diagnostic differentiation. Report of a young boy with early onset of the disease].

We report the case of an eight year old boy who developed suddenly acute left-sided hemiparesis syndrome. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed multiple white matter lesions. Therefore we considered in the differential diagnosis multiple sclerosis (MS) and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). The patient received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), 1 g/kg/d over 2 days with complete regression of clinical symptoms. No relapses occurred within six months, although brain magnetic resonance imaging studies found new white matter lesions, suggesting multiple sclerosis with very early onset.