PROGNOSIS

• 25-35% of children are left with residual disbilities, mainly mild.[51,52]
• 10% have severe persistent disability
• The more severe disabilities include foot drop, pes cavus and postural tremor.
• Only a small percentage of those with residual disabilities at one year after the illness recover completely.
• Although recovery from severe GBS may be prolonged (over months or years), most survivors regain independent ambulation (approximately 80%).
• Older age, preceding diarrhoea and severe upper limb as well as lower limb involvement all predict a slower recovery with an increased probability of not being able to walk unaided at one year
• Respiratory complications are the main cause of death, early recognition and treatment can reduce the morbidity and mortality of this condition.[53]

Adverse Prognostic Indicators

• Other serious medical illness
• Fulminance and severity of the illness
• Marked reduction in compound motor action potentials when first measured
• Campylobacter jejuni infection
• Concurrent inflammatory (transverse myelitis)