Abstract
Myocarditis is an acute inflammation of the cardiac muscle cells, resulting in variable degrees of myocardial dysfunction, typically as a result of a viral infection. Clinical symptoms can vary widely depending on the severity of the disease. Even though there are several therapeutic approaches for pediatric myocarditis, the treatment is usually dominated by corticosteroids. Some form of immunomodulatory treatment, most notably intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), has been implemented in practice but their effectiveness is controversial and needs more research. We document the case of a 12-month-old female infant who presented with a three-day history of fever, tachypnea, lethargy, and poor feeding. A workup including laboratory tests, chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram revealed cardiac dysfunction supporting the diagnosis of acute myocarditis. She received IVIG and methylprednisolone, which resulted in marked clinical improvement, although some degree of cardiac dysfunction persisted. At the time of reporting, she remained under ongoing follow-up care. This case underlines the possible impact of prescribing IVIG with methylprednisolone on children with acute pediatric myocarditis, particularly in resource-limited settings where access to advanced treatment options may be restricted.