Calcification of intervertebral disks in children is a curious clinical and radiological entity. The purpose of this paper is to report two children with intervertebral disk calcification. The clinical manifestation, etiology, and pathological physiology are discussed, including differences in children as compared with adults.Nineteen cases have been reported in children. The first, in 1924, was by B\l=a'\ron.1 Later, in 1954, Silverman reviewed eight and reported seven other cases.13 In 1954 two more cases were reported,12,17 and in 1957, two additional cases.6,18 Report of Cases Case 1.\p=m-\An8-year-old Negro boy was admitted to Duke University Hospital. He had been born at this hospital of an uncomplicated "term" pregnancy, weighing 1,855 gm. Labor was short; low forceps were used in delivery. He remained in the premature nursery for three weeks and weighed 2,240 gm. on discharge, at which time the physical examination was negative. Blood from the mother and cord blood both gave a negative serologie test for syphilis.At home he received a 20 Cai. per ounce formula, and development was reported as normal, until at one year of age he was noted to have bilateral cataracts, presumably congenital in origin. Cata¬ ract extraction was attempted at 4 years of age. Otherwise he remained in good health until two weeks prior to admission, at which time he had attempted to lift the side of a trailer, without apparent consequence. The next day he fell while playing, with no evidence of trauma. He first noted some low back pains three days later, asso¬ ciated with mild recurrent cramping abdominal pain. The backache became severer and inter¬ mittent, and he then started to complain also of stiffness of the back. He had no headache, fever, nuchal rigidity, anorexia, nausea, or vomiting. The back pain changed to a constant aching, with epi¬ sodes of severe sharp pain at the level of the dorsolumbar spine junction but with no radiation; these episodes occurred when the patient moved or was moved. Three days prior to admission he was admitted to another hospital and then trans¬ ferred to this hospital.At the first hospital, the physical examination Was reported as negative except for "marked arching of the lumbar spine." Routine analysis of the blood, urine, and spinal fluid were all reported as normal.On admission to The Duke University Hospital he was noted to be a well-developed slender Negro boy with a blood pressure of 112/68 and a rectal temperature of 37.7 C (99.9 F). His back was markedly arched in an exaggerated lordotic pos¬ ture, with a severe dorsolumbar paravertebral mus¬ cle spasm. There was no evidence of trauma over his trunk. The child was in no distress while lying undisturbed. However, he experienced ex¬ cruciating pain when examined or moved. Eye ex¬ amination revealed a capsular cataract of the left eye and an operative coloboma of the right eye. There was a slight injection of the pharyngeal wall, and the neck was supple. The lungs, heart, abdomen, genitalia, and extremities were normal. The neurologic...
