Belly Dancer’s Dyskinesia in Children: A Case Series
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Abstract
Background: Belly dancer’s dyskinesia (BDD) is a rare movement disorder that affects the diaphragm and abdominal wall. It is characterized by spontaneous involuntary, rhythmic contractions of the diaphragm which makes the abdominal wall move in a way that resembles the belly dancer's movements. Majority of the documented reports were that of adults.
Case reports: We presented three cases of Bellydancer’s dyskinesia seen in children within a period of one year. Two of the cases started spontaneously while one was triggered by persistent sneezing. They all resolved while sleeping or lying supine. Diagnosis was made clinically. Electroencephalography done for the patients were normal. Electromyogram was not done due to unavailability while abdominal ultrasound and Brain MRI were not done for the patients due to out of pocket payments and financial constraints. The first case responded well to Clonazepam after one month of treatment while the other two cases did not respond to Clonazepam. They responded moderately to sodium valproate and then completely to oral Gabapentin.
Conclusion: There is need for the creation of awareness on BDD to help clinicians avoid unnecessary and prolonged investigations and treatments.
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