Q.1 Which of the following is the most common cause of febrile seizures in children?
Meningitis
Epilepsy
Viral infections
Metabolic disorders
Explanation - Febrile seizures are most commonly triggered by viral infections causing high fever in children between 6 months and 5 years.
Correct answer is: Viral infections
Q.2 A 3-year-old presents with sudden onset of hemiplegia following a minor fall. What is the most likely cause?
Stroke
Bell's palsy
Migraine
Seizure
Explanation - Although rare, ischemic stroke can occur in children, often following trauma, cardiac anomalies, or clotting disorders.
Correct answer is: Stroke
Q.3 Which of the following is a characteristic feature of West syndrome?
Tonic-clonic seizures
Infantile spasms
Absence seizures
Myoclonic jerks
Explanation - West syndrome is defined by the triad of infantile spasms, developmental regression, and hypsarrhythmia on EEG.
Correct answer is: Infantile spasms
Q.4 Which nerve is most commonly affected in Guillain-Barré syndrome in children?
Optic nerve
Facial nerve
Peripheral motor nerves
Vagus nerve
Explanation - Guillain-Barré syndrome typically causes ascending weakness due to immune-mediated demyelination of peripheral motor nerves.
Correct answer is: Peripheral motor nerves
Q.5 What is the first-line treatment for status epilepticus in children?
Phenytoin
Diazepam
Valproate
Carbamazepine
Explanation - Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam or lorazepam, are first-line therapy to rapidly terminate seizures in status epilepticus.
Correct answer is: Diazepam
Q.6 Which developmental milestone delay is most indicative of cerebral palsy in toddlers?
Late walking
Late talking
Separation anxiety
Thumb sucking
Explanation - Delayed motor milestones, particularly delayed walking or abnormal gait, are common early signs of cerebral palsy.
Correct answer is: Late walking
Q.7 Which of the following is the most common type of pediatric brain tumor?
Medulloblastoma
Astrocytoma
Ependymoma
Craniopharyngioma
Explanation - Astrocytomas, particularly pilocytic astrocytomas, are the most common pediatric brain tumors, often located in the cerebellum.
Correct answer is: Astrocytoma
Q.8 Which condition is associated with cafe-au-lait spots and neurological tumors in children?
Tuberous sclerosis
Neurofibromatosis type 1
Sturge-Weber syndrome
Down syndrome
Explanation - NF1 is characterized by cafe-au-lait spots, axillary freckling, Lisch nodules, and a predisposition to neurofibromas and CNS tumors.
Correct answer is: Neurofibromatosis type 1
Q.9 Which electrolyte disturbance can precipitate seizures in neonates?
Hypocalcemia
Hyperkalemia
Hyponatremia
Hypermagnesemia
Explanation - Neonatal seizures are often triggered by metabolic disturbances; hypocalcemia is a common cause in the first week of life.
Correct answer is: Hypocalcemia
Q.10 Which of the following is the hallmark EEG finding in absence seizures?
Spike-and-wave discharges
Hypsarrhythmia
Delta waves
Polyspike discharges
Explanation - Typical absence seizures show generalized 3 Hz spike-and-wave discharges on EEG.
Correct answer is: Spike-and-wave discharges
Q.11 Which cranial nerve is affected in congenital facial palsy?
CN V
CN VII
CN IX
CN X
Explanation - Congenital facial palsy involves the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII), leading to asymmetric facial movements.
Correct answer is: CN VII
Q.12 What is the most common cause of spastic quadriplegia in children?
Stroke
Trauma
Cerebral palsy
Spinal cord injury
Explanation - Spastic quadriplegia is a form of cerebral palsy involving all four limbs, typically resulting from perinatal brain injury.
Correct answer is: Cerebral palsy
Q.13 Which condition is characterized by port-wine stain on the face and seizures?
Tuberous sclerosis
Sturge-Weber syndrome
Neurofibromatosis
Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome
Explanation - Sturge-Weber syndrome features facial port-wine stains, leptomeningeal angiomas, seizures, and sometimes glaucoma.
Correct answer is: Sturge-Weber syndrome
Q.14 Which of the following is a red flag for secondary headache in children?
Morning vomiting
Occasional tension-type headache
Headache after prolonged reading
Headache relieved by rest
Explanation - Morning vomiting may indicate increased intracranial pressure and warrants urgent evaluation for secondary causes of headache.
Correct answer is: Morning vomiting
Q.15 Which vitamin deficiency can lead to peripheral neuropathy in children?
Vitamin A
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Explanation - Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause demyelination of peripheral nerves, leading to neuropathy and sometimes developmental delay.
Correct answer is: Vitamin B12
Q.16 Which is the most common seizure type in children with temporal lobe epilepsy?
Tonic seizures
Atonic seizures
Complex partial seizures
Myoclonic seizures
Explanation - Temporal lobe epilepsy typically presents with complex partial seizures, often with impaired consciousness and automatisms.
Correct answer is: Complex partial seizures
Q.17 Which neurological condition presents with 'cherry-red spot' in the macula of infants?
Tay-Sachs disease
Krabbe disease
Gaucher disease
Hurler syndrome
Explanation - Tay-Sachs disease is a lysosomal storage disorder; infants show developmental delay, hypotonia, and a characteristic cherry-red spot on the retina.
Correct answer is: Tay-Sachs disease
Q.18 Which test is most useful for confirming Duchenne muscular dystrophy in children?
EMG
Muscle biopsy
Serum CK levels
Nerve conduction study
Explanation - Serum creatine kinase is markedly elevated in Duchenne muscular dystrophy; genetic testing is confirmatory.
Correct answer is: Serum CK levels
Q.19 Which is the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis in children worldwide?
Guillain-Barré syndrome
Poliomyelitis
Botulism
Transverse myelitis
Explanation - After polio eradication in many countries, Guillain-Barré syndrome has become the leading cause of acute flaccid paralysis in children.
Correct answer is: Guillain-Barré syndrome
Q.20 Which of the following is the most common cause of pediatric migraine?
Viral infections
Genetic predisposition
Trauma
Brain tumor
Explanation - Migraine in children often has a strong familial tendency and may be associated with aura, photophobia, or phonophobia.
Correct answer is: Genetic predisposition
Q.21 Which disorder is characterized by hypomelanotic macules, seizures, and cognitive delay?
Neurofibromatosis
Sturge-Weber syndrome
Tuberous sclerosis
Ataxia-telangiectasia
Explanation - Tuberous sclerosis presents with hypomelanotic 'ash leaf' spots, seizures, cognitive impairment, and may include cardiac rhabdomyomas.
Correct answer is: Tuberous sclerosis
Q.22 Which movement disorder in children is characterized by sudden, brief, non-rhythmic jerks?
Tics
Chorea
Myoclonus
Ataxia
Explanation - Myoclonus involves rapid, involuntary jerks affecting muscles or groups of muscles and can be seen in epilepsy or metabolic disorders.
Correct answer is: Myoclonus
Q.23 Which of the following is the hallmark sign of spina bifida occulta in children?
Protruding sac
Hair tuft over the defect
Severe motor deficits
Hydrocephalus
Explanation - Spina bifida occulta is usually asymptomatic; a tuft of hair, dimple, or pigmentation may indicate the underlying vertebral defect.
Correct answer is: Hair tuft over the defect
Q.24 Which is the most common type of muscular dystrophy in children?
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Becker muscular dystrophy
Myotonic dystrophy
Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy
Explanation - Duchenne muscular dystrophy is X-linked recessive, presents in early childhood with progressive proximal muscle weakness, and elevated CK levels.
Correct answer is: Duchenne muscular dystrophy