Clinicians encountering children with flu-like symptoms accompanied by neurologic symptoms should consider infection with the pandemic H1N1 (swine flu) virus, researchers said.This study described four cases in which children with confirmed infection with the pandemic H1N1 virus had neurological complications without a known etiology.

Since April, the Dallas County health department has detected four cases of neurological complications in children with confirmed H1N1 infection, Dr. Jane Siegel, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and colleagues reported in the July 24 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

When encountering children with flu-like symptoms and unexplained seizures or mental status changes, clinicians should begin antiviral treatment immediately -- especially in hospitalized patients -- and send specimens for viral testing, the researchers said.