ROHHADNET syndrome presenting as major behavioral changes in a 5-year-old obese girl

Abstract

Behavioral issues are a frequent problem in the pediatric population. Often, these are evaluated and considered to be psychiatric in origin. We report on a pediatric patient who presented with severe behavioral disturbance and developed organic symptoms including hypoventilation and dysautonomia and who was ultimately diagnosed with ROHHADNET syndrome, a syndrome of rapid-onset obesity, hypothalamic dysfunction, hypoventilation, and autonomic dysregulation associated with a neuroendocrine tumor. Autopsy findings revealed novel findings of the syndrome, including hypothalamic encephalitis.

Keywords: ROHHADNET.