Early diagnosis of spinal cord arteriovenous malformation in a 7-year-old child.

Spinal cord arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are relatively uncommon in the pediatric age group. Early diagnosis is rarely made and the resulting complications arising from the AVM may have devastating long-lasting neurologic sequelae. Early diagnosis requires a high degree of clinical suspicion. We report the case of spinal cord AVM in a child who presented with two episodes of "neck stiffness" without headache in whom the prompt diagnosis and treatment prevented neurologic sequelae.