THE name "bobble-head doll syndrome" was adopted by Benton et al1 to describe two children with unique truncal tremor associated with a third ventricular cyst and hydrocephalus. These authors reviewed the literature and could find no reference to a similar syndrome. They commented, however, that personal communication uncovered similar cases of which no details were given.
We have seen this unusual syndrome, characterized by to-and-fro nodding of the head and trunk, in a young child with a cyst that involved the walls of the third ventricle.
Report of a Case
This 21/2-year-old Negro boy was admitted to the hospital with chief complaints of poor development and a shaking motion of the head. The child had never been weaned. He did not sit up or develop at the normal age. At 6 or 8 months of age, he tried sitting up but would fall over. He attempted walking at