Paediatric
Paediatric Nystagmus
Also known as: nystagmus child, infantile nystagmus, congenital nystagmus, wobbly eyes baby, dancing eyes, null point, head posture nystagmus, spasmus nutans
Clinical decision support only
OptoGuide™ supports professional judgement and does not diagnose or replace clinician responsibility.
Overview
Involuntary rhythmic eye movement in a child. The whole clinical task is separating infantile nystagmus with an ocular or idiopathic cause from ACQUIRED nystagmus signalling intracranial disease. The discriminator that matters most is TIMING: new, sudden-onset nystagmus in a child over 6 months of age is graded an emergency under the NSW Health paediatric criteria, as is nystagmus with neurological signs such as ataxia at any age. Onset under 6 months is graded Category 1 — within 30 days.
What OptoGuide™ covers for paediatric nystagmus
- Recognition patterns — symptoms, signs, and differentiators
- Don't-miss risks and escalation triggers
- Management tiers with linked Australian therapeutics
- Referral urgency, specialty, and letter drafting