Vertebral artery dissection with bilateral hemiparesis.

Right vertebral artery dissection after trauma, with subsequent cerebellar and thalamic infarcts, is described in a 5-year-old child who presented with mild hemiparesis and ataxia. This vascular injury has been more commonly reported in adults. The diagnosis was confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and cerebral magnetic resonance angiography. An arterial thrombus with multiple embolization was the cause of the child's neurologic deficits. Traumatic injury to the posterior circulation should be considered in children who have signs of vertebrobasilar insufficiency.