Difficulty walking. A presentation of idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis.

Pediatric Rheumatology Unit, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.

Idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis is a rare condition that may present as difficulty walking. Difficulty walking represents a challenging differential diagnosis in pediatrics. Diagnostic studies are usually oriented to rule out neuromuscular etiologies or, once organic causes have been reasonably discarded, conversion disorders. We describe 2 patients who presented with difficulty or inability to walk due to idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis, a rare disease unfamiliar to most physicians. However, early diagnosis in patients can avoid extensive testing and prolonged hospitalizations.

PMID: 9458225 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]