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Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in children. A Japanese 8-year-old boy with attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) and comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibited fever, anorexia, and frequent vomiting. Gastrointestinal symptoms were initially regarded as associated with streptococcal pharyngitis and adverse effects of ADHD medication. Empirical antibiotic therapy did not improve his clinical condition. Absence of abdominal distension and tenderness led to a misled diagnosis and delayed diagnosis and treatment of acute appendicitis. Surgical intervention was made eventually for perforated appendicitis. He recovered without sequelae. Streptococcal pharyngitis with concurrent appendicitis is rare. Children with ASD sometimes have difficulty explaining their signs because of communication problems and insensitivity to pain. Special consideration is necessary when examining children with neurodevelopmental disorders, especially in emergency surgical conditions.

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs), which occur in a sporadic or familial form, can predispose a person to seizures, focal neurological impairment, and hemorrhage. Upon discovery floating in a swimming pool, a 3-year-old boy was unresponsive and not breathing, but he achieved uneventful recovery after adequate cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Diagnostic head magnetic resonance imaging confirmed multiple CCMs. Absence of affected family members was indicative of the sporadic form. Subsequently, he developed social communication deficits and restricted and repetitive behaviors, suggestive of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Comorbidity of CCMs and ASD is rare. Seizure associated with multiple CCMs might precipitate unintentional drowning.