Infections and Inflammatory Conditions of the Pediatric Cervical Spine

Inflammatory conditions and infections of the cervical spine are uncommon in the pediatric and adolescent population; therefore, these diagnoses are frequently missed and may result in delay in treatment. These disease processes may present as intractable neck pain, limited neck range of motion, or neurologic compromise. Practitioners who treat this population should be familiar with conditions such as infections of the cervical spine, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, rotatory atlantoaxial subluxation (Grisel’s syndrome), intervertebral disc calcification, and nonbacterial osteitis. Patients with complaints of neck pain, stiffness, or neurologic compromise should undergo a complete workup often including radiographs, advanced imaging, and inflammatory markers. Biopsy and surgical treatment are occasionally necessary. It is imperative these pathologies be included in the differential to prevent long-term sequelae.