Abstract

<jats:p>Psychosis in a child is a problem that demands urgent diagnosis and, when appropriate, treatment Steroid therapy is an unusual cause of such a disturbance. There are few reports in the adult literature and none in the pediatric literature concerning steroid-associated personality disturbances We describe a child receiving steroid therapy who had an organic psychosis that progressed to catatonia.</jats:p>
<jats:p>CASE REPORT</jats:p>
<jats:p>A previously healthy 11-year-old boy, who was examined initially at another institution, had a facial rash and reported weakness of the proximal limb muscles. A clinical diagnosis of dermatomyositis was made by a dermatologist, although no electromyogram (EMG), muscle biopsy, or lupus erythematosus (LE) preparation was obtained.</jats:p>