Can someone explain these findings to me???

[stephncb]

My 18 mth old has chiari malformation and these are her MRI results. We cannot get into to the neurosurgeon until 8/31 so I am looking for someone to help explain these to me! Thanks in advance!!

Here are the findings:The cerebellar tonsils have an abnormal morphology and project below the plane of foramen(?) magnum witht he right tonsil lower than left. The right tonsil is approx 8 mm-1 cm below the foramen magnum to the level of the inferior margin of the posterior ring of C1 and the left approx 5-6 mm.

There is moderate associated crowding of structures at the craniocervical junction.
Cine imaging demonstrates mild restriction of CSF flow through the foramen magnum posteriority with preserved flow anterior to the spinal cord.

[selmaS]

  Hi the waking may be a sign, I am not an expert for children or adults, but as I understand adults wake gasping for breath and a child would not be able to tell u that....

The crowding can indicate a few things, one a retroflexed odontoid it is the bone that hold the skull on the spinal column, and it has a natural curve to it, but a retroflexed one the curve is going in the wrong direction and press against the brain stem.this  also causes less space for the CSF to flow.

I posted an explanation of this in this post -http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Chiari-Malformation/Retroflexed-odontoid--EDS--Hashimoto-thyroiditis/show/1805134

I am not familiar with that Drs name, but that does not mean much....I do know of a children's specialist in Chicago a Dr Frim.....and here is the link to our list, keep in mind not all Drs treat children so u will have to ask....

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Neurological-Disorders/DOCTORS-LIST-FOR-CHIARI-SYRINGOMYELIA/show/1062?cid=186

But do ask the Drs she is with now to test her for sleep apnea, there is a way to have a home study done so she is more comfortable and should be covered by ins...look into NovaSom and ask the Dr to do the same.

[stephncb]

As for how it is is effecting her now? Not really sure she is developing normally and hitting all her milestones. She can be a fussy girl grumpy w/no known cause (which makes me wonder if she gets headaches) she has a raspy voice which seemd odd (kinda husky) and I recently read this could be related to chiari's. But she walks and climbs and is learning to talk so at this age I am not sure how it effects her. She is kind of clumsy too.

[stephncb]

She has not had surgery yet. Oh she had a small surgery to drain the MRSA infection. But no surgery for the Chiari. No sleep apnea check as of yet. We live in the Dayton Ohio area but are going to Cinncinati Childrens to see a Dr. Stephenson he came highly recommended. What are signs of sleep apnea in a child? She is just now 18 mths-she does not always sleep through the night-she often wakes up around 2-3 times (none of my other kids did this as long as she has). What is the issue with the crowding? Thanks

[selmaS]

  Hi...may I ask what type of surgery she had?

The findings r typical for those with Chiari I and she does have some restricted flow of CSF....the bigger issue is the crowding.....

The rest is not as important as that....and how much this is affecting her now....

Was she checked for sleep apnea? If not, please do this.

make sure her Drs r true chiari specialists.....

[stephncb]

I meant 10/31 we cannot get into neurosurgeon until then. We were suppose to go in August but she ended up w/a MRSA skin infection and had to have surgery so her MRI got pushed back as did her appointmen.