CLINICAL AND NEUROLOGICAL FEATURES OF THE COURSE OF SECONDARY ENCEPHALITIS IN CHILDREN: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Secondary encephalitis in children represents a heterogeneous group of inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system that develop in the context of infectious, autoimmune, and post-infectious processes. The clinical picture is characterized by a wide variety of neurological impairments, including disturbances of consciousness, seizure syndrome, cognitive and behavioral changes, as well as focal neurological deficits. The aim of this review is to analyze current data on the clinical and neurological features of secondary encephalitis in children and to assess the methodological quality of the available studies. The work includes 8 scientific sources, comprising systematic reviews, retrospective clinical studies, and observational cohort studies. The methodological analysis revealed a predominance of retrospective designs, small and heterogeneous patient samples, a lack of standardized diagnostic criteria, and limited long-term follow-up. Nevertheless, the studies demonstrate high clinical relevance and reflect real-world patient management practices. The findings highlight the need for prospective multicenter studies with unified diagnostic criteria to improve the level of evidence and to clarify prognostic factors of the disease.