This form of chorea known as Rheumatic chorea (an older, less-favored name), Sydenham’s chorea or by the term St. Vitus’ Dance is a form of chorea that is a disease of the central nervous system, probably caused by the same organism which causes rheumatic fever. This article provides a general overview of the condition – its symptoms and treatment, as well as some suggested resources for whether to gather additional information.
The symptoms of this type of chorea mainly involve the central nervous system. There is muscular weakness and uncoordinated, purposeless and jerky movements. This condition affects young people – most often prepubescent girls, but it affects boys as well. The child will be moving and twitching so much that the motion seems ceaseless.
Prior to the onset of the movements and the loss of fine motor skills characterized in this condition, there is usually a sore throat in the patient that can last for up to a few weeks. There is also a symptom of emotional instability associated with this condition which may include uncontrollable crying and volatility. Other symptoms of rheumatic fever may also present.
Diagnosis can be made using blood tests. Upon diagnosis, antibiotics will likely be given to eliminate the present streptococci, the bacteria that cause rheumatic fever. Preventative antibiotics may also be prescribed to help deter the return of the condition and symptoms. The condition will clear up and disappear over several weeks and/or months and no further complications should develop.
This condition does require medical treatment so it will be necessary to call the doctor if any of the symptoms appear. If a child complains of a lasting sore throat, it may be advisable to have the condition checked by a doctor to look for any signs of rheumatic fever. This form of chorea may be more likely in families with a history of rheumatic fever and its accompanying illnesses.
For more information, the United States National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health provides an online encyclopedia of various health care and medical topics. The page dedicated to Rheumatic Chorea or Sydenham’s Chorea can be found at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001358.htm. This page includes information on symptoms and treatment, advise on when to call a doctor, and various links to other online resources and information about rheumatic fever disorders. Additionally, this page provides a printer-friendly version of the information which can be printed off as a handy fact sheet and details about the sort of testing done to determine the presence of this disease.
