Benign acute childhood myositis (BACM) is a rare transient condition that occurs in children during the early convalescent phase of a viral upper respiratory infection. BACM is self-limiting and characterized by sudden-onset bilateral calf pain that leads to difficulty in walking. We report a case of a 5-year-old boy with BACM who presented with acute-onset bilateral calf pain after a resolved episode of viral pharyngitis and subsequently refused to walk. With conservative treatment, the patient recovered completely after approximately 1 week. Although perplexing and challenging for clinicians unfamiliar with BACM, awareness of this rare clinical condition is essential to preventing unnecessary investigations and reassuring the patient and parents of its excellent prognosis.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Vaccine hesitancy and bone health: Musculoskeletal sequelae of vaccine-preventable diseases Roban Shabbir, Zubair Shabbir, Paulo E.L. Parente, Ali Azad Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia.2025; 11(3): 83. CrossRef
Influenza-Associated Benign Acute Childhood Myositis During the 2024–2025 Season: A Retrospective Multicenter Study Chrysoula Kosmeri, Margarita Efthalia Papasavva, Afroditi Kyrkou, Vasiliki Gketsi, Ekaterini Siomou, Fani Ladomenou, Alexandros Makis Children.2025; 12(10): 1333. CrossRef
Benign Acute Childhood Myositis: A Three-Year Experience From a Pediatric Department in Poland Bartosz Szarawarski, Mateusz Nowak, Joanna Kula-Gradzik Cureus.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Viral Myositis in an Eight-Year-Old Micah Pippin , William Stansbury, Praveen Budde Cureus.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Acute Kidney Injury Among Children Admitted With Viral Rhabdomyolysis Hannah M. Gardner, David J. Askenazi, Jennifer A. Hoefert, Alexis Helton, Chang L. Wu Hospital Pediatrics.2021; 11(8): 878. CrossRef
First
Prev
