Inflammation of the optic nerve, which carries information from the eye to the brain, accompanied by inflammation of the spinal cord. The disease can take on either a monophasic form that involves a single attack of symptoms, or a relapsing form involving periodic flares of symptoms.
Blindness in one or both eyes, numbness, weakness, or paralysis in the legs or arms, painful spasms, sensation loss, bladder/bowel dysfunction, and uncontrollable vomiting and hiccups. Children are more likely to develop neurological symptoms such as seizures.
Devic’s disease is more common in populations of Asian or African descent and smoking cigarettes has been identified as a risk factor.
The relapsing form of Devic’s disease is seen more often in females, whereas the monophasic form appears to affect both sexes equally. Children usually develop the monophasic form of the condition.
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