st. vitus dance

Thân thiện

A child is being treated for St. Vitus dance in a hospital room.

Definition

Noun: - A neurological disorder: "St. Vitus dance" is a historical and medical term for Sydenham chorea, a disorder characterized by rapid, involuntary, jerky movements, especially of the face and limbs. It is a complication associated with rheumatic fever, occurring primarily in children.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The child's diagnosis of St. Vitus dance required immediate treatment for the underlying rheumatic fever.
  • Historical medical texts often describe patients with St. Vitus dance exhibiting uncontrollable, dance-like movements.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Medical Context: The term "St. Vitus dance" is now considered archaic in clinical practice but is used in historical discussions. The modern medical term is Sydenham chorea.
  • The condition once called St. Vitus dance is now understood as an autoimmune response following a streptococcal infection.

Variants and Related Words

• Sydenham chorea (n): The modern medical term for the disorder historically called St. Vitus dance.

  • Sydenham chorea is the most common form of acquired chorea in children.

• Chorea (n): The broader category of neurological disorders involving involuntary, dance-like movements, of which Sydenham chorea is one type.

  • The term chorea is derived from the Greek word for dance.

Synonyms

• Sydenham chorea: The contemporary synonym.
• Rheumatic chorea: A synonym emphasizing its association with rheumatic fever.

Học thuật

Noun

1. chorea occurring chiefly in children and associated with rheumatic fever

Từ đồng nghĩa

• Sydenham's chorea
• Saint Vitus dance
• St. Vitus dance