• A 4-month-old boy had recurrent attacks of apnea before progressive quadriparesis, ocular motility disturbance, and depressed corneal reflexes led to the discovery of a posterior fossa mass. Death occurred postoperatively during prolonged apnea. Necropsy disclosed an oligodendroglioma of the medulla oblongata. A review of this rare neoplasm in the neonatal period is given.