A to Z: Cerebellar Ataxiaenparentshttps://kidshealth.org/EN/images/headers/P-khAZDictionary-enHD-AR1.jpgLearn about cerebellar ataxia, the loss of muscle coordination caused by disease or injury to the cerebellum.cerebellar ataxia, acute cerebellar ataxia, cerebellar ataxia syndrome, ataxia, cerebellitis, chicken pox, multiple sclerosis, coxsackie disease, echovirus, dysarthria, nystagmus, unsteady gait06/12/201303/25/201909/02/20191d1f209e-9bd0-4f67-987d-220386009f89https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/az-cerebellar-ataxia.html/<p><a href="https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/dictionary/"><img class="right" title="Parents image" src="https://kidshealth.org/EN/images/buttons/P-atoZDictionary-enBT.jpg" alt="A to Z Dictionary 500 Go" name="5093-P_ATOZDICTIONARY2_ENBT.JPG" /></a></p>
<p>Cerebellar ataxia is loss of <a href="https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/bones-muscles-joints.html/">muscle</a> coordination caused by disease or injury to the cerebellum. The cerebellum is the area of the <a href="https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/brain-nervous-system.html/">brain</a> responsible for coordinating voluntary muscles and maintaining balance.</p>
<p><img title="cerebellum illustration" src="https://kidshealth.org/EN/images/illustrations/acuteCerebatax-415x233-rd8-enIL.png" alt="cerebellum illustration" name="3989-ACUTECEREBATAX_415X233_RD8_ENIL.PNG" /></p>
<h3>More to Know</h3>
<p>People of all ages can have cerebellar ataxia. In children 3 years old or younger, it's most often caused by viruses and has only short-term effects. For adults, cerebellar ataxia is usually the result of head trauma or an infection or disease of the cerebellum. <a href="https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/alcohol.html/">Alcohol</a> abuse, medications, and exposure to toxic chemicals can also cause cerebellar ataxia.</p>
<p>People with cerebellar ataxia may have trouble walking, speaking, sitting still, or keeping their hands steady. They may also have uncoordinated or repetitive eye movement. Symptoms can be sudden and brief (acute) or can occur slowly and be long-lasting (chronic). Cerebellar ataxia can come and go or get progressively worse over time.</p>
<p>Treatment of cerebellar ataxia is based on the underlying problem that caused it.</p>
<h3>Keep in Mind</h3>
<p>While some people will have permanent symptoms of cerebellar ataxia, many patients can be treated with medication or surgery with good outcomes. When caused by viral infections, cerebellar ataxia usually doesn't require treatment and most people will recover fully within a few months.</p>
<p><em>All A to Z dictionary entries are regularly reviewed by KidsHealth medical experts.</em></p>A to Z: Multiple Sclerosis (MS)Learn about about multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic disease affecting the central nervous system.https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/az-ms.html/8ad06c21-0136-46aa-a9b5-0049e28b04c7A to Z: Pneumonia, MycoplasmaMycoplasma pneumonia, also called walking pneumonia or atypical pneumonia, is a mild lung infection caused by bacteria.https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/az-pneumonia-mycoplasma.html/35beb010-670d-466e-9c41-ebf31b96592bA to Z: Viral InfectionA viral infection is a an infection caused by a virus (a type of germ).https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/az-viral.html/008cb133-9a6e-4b42-aff4-4d10a23708f5Cerebral PalsyCerebral palsy (CP) affects a child's muscle tone, movement, and more. This article explains causes, diagnosis, treatment, and coping.https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/cerebral-palsy.html/2bf118da-d5ef-4078-b144-6b59eef2ce30ChickenpoxChickenpox used to be common in kids, causing a very itchy red rash all over the body. But the good news is that a vaccine can prevent most cases.https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/chicken-pox.html/34caabeb-2cf0-41e8-b236-d3714ba46d03Coxsackievirus InfectionsCoxsackievirus infections can spread from person to person. In most cases, the viruses cause mild flu-like symptoms, but can lead to more serious infections.https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/coxsackie.html/185944f5-ec45-432d-8542-ae1cc902a4b0Head InjuriesHead injuries can be external or internal. Learn more about both kinds, how to prevent them, and what to do if your child is injured.https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/head-injury.html/9369e328-77a9-4ffb-9782-4aed05a955d4Lyme DiseaseLyme disease can be treated if it's caught early. Find out what causes it, how it's treated, and how to prevent it.https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/teens/lyme-disease.html/a5576757-bf27-42eb-9a7c-d4aae3ad3150Mononucleosis (Mono)It's sometimes called "the kissing disease," but kissing is just one of the ways that someone can catch mono.https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/teens/mononucleosis.html/2ce95611-a0cc-4e5c-9306-e916dcebc77cNeurocutaneous SyndromesNeurocutaneous syndromes are genetic disorders that lead to tumor growth in various parts of the body. Learn how to maximize the quality of life for children with these diseases.https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/neurocutaneous.html/7e9e3b3a-59da-4998-8655-57927110240fStrokesThis "brain attack" happens when blood flow to the brain stops, even for a second. Often, kids who have a stroke can learn to use their arms and legs and speak again through brain retraining.https://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/strokes.html/5539d27a-a31c-459d-9bfc-94b934761cdakh:age-allAgesOrAgeAgnostickh:clinicalDesignation-neurologykh:genre-dictionarykh:primaryClinicalDesignation-neurologyChttps://kidshealth.org/ws/RadyChildrens/en/parents/dictionary/c/fdabc7bf-e1f5-4c6b-9f0b-00e1f3eac955https://kidshealth.org/EN/images/buttons/P-atoZDictionary-enBT.jpghttps://kidshealth.org/EN/images/illustrations/acuteCerebatax-415x233-rd8-enIL.png