Patient's question:
The boy is 13 years old. He had a fever of 39 degrees Celsius at 5 a.m. and was given fever-reducing medicine. By 9 a.m., he had vomited and developed a rash all over his face. The hospital said he needed to be admitted due to tonsillitis. After the first bottle of medicine was administered, the child broke out in a cold sweat and had a vacant stare that lasted for more than five minutes. He was transferred to another hospital for a brain MRI and an electroencephalogram. If these two tests come back normal, is it still necessary to take cerebrospinal fluid?Doctor's answer:
During the course of the child's intravenous treatment, red rashes reappeared. First, confirm whether it is an allergic reaction. If the condition is mild and the area is small, applying medication should suffice. In severe cases, there may be neurological symptoms. An MRI and EEG were conducted, and there is a consideration of a neurological infection, particularly a high possibility of encephalitis. If the cranial MRI and EEG results are normal, it is still recommended to perform a cerebrospinal fluid examination.