What families may notice
- Unsteady walking or frequent falls
- Poor hand coordination or slurred speech
- New dizziness, abnormal eye movement or loss of balance
How assessment may help
Sudden ataxia needs urgent medical assessment. Longer-standing ataxia may require imaging, laboratory or genetic investigation depending on the pattern.
The child’s own pattern matters. Similar symptoms can have different causes, and tests are selected only after considering the history and examination.
What to bring
- A referral letter and previous medical reports
- A current medicine and dose list
- EEG, MRI or CT reports and the actual images where available
- School or therapy reports relevant to the concern
- Safe phone videos of typical episodes, without delaying care or placing the child at risk
Planning the next step
Contact the practice for a non-urgent appointment request. Sudden, severe or rapidly worsening symptoms should be assessed through an emergency service rather than an online form.