RT Journal
A1 SNYDER RD, BICKNELL JM
T1 INfant botulism
JF American Journal of Diseases of Children
JO American Journal of Diseases of Children
YR 1979
FD December 1
VO 133
IS 12
SP 1288
OP 1288
DO 10.1001/archpedi.1979.02130120080021
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.1979.02130120080021
AB Sir.—Johnson, Clay, and Arnon presented an excellent review of infant botulism in the Journal (133:586-593, 1979). In it, the authors mentioned that eight of their infants had electromyograms (EMGs) performed. On EMG, none showed enhancement of amplitude on repetitive stimulation (at 20 cps), although two of the four tested showed posttetanic facilitation.In July 1978, we encountered two cases of infant botulism. Both were male, one was 1 month of age (case 1) and the other 5 months of age (case 2). Both first had constipation, followed in several days by hypotonia, paresis, ptosis and poor suck. Clostridium botulinum, type A, was grown from cultures of the stools of these infants. The infants made uneventful recoveries with supportive care. The EMGs were performed in case 1 on the 14th day after onset of weakness and in case 2 on the 15th day after onset of weakness. In both infants,