Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder of childhood. Most of the cases are idiopathic. Some are benign, needs no treatment and self-remits in adulthood.

Aims: To study the clinical profile, aetiological factors, correlation between seizure semiology, EEG, brain imaging and prognosis of childhood epileptic syndromes.

Material & Methods: A total of 840 epilepsy patients seen over 1 year of study. Out of which 177 were between 1-14 years of age, but only 100 were included in the study according to inclusion criteria. Proper clinical history, surface EEG and brain imaging were performed. 

Results: Childhood epilepsy accounted for 21% of all epilepsy patients. The incidence of idiopathic localisation related epilepsy was 6.2%, Idiopathic generalised epilepsy accounted for 18%.The commonest seizure type among localisation related epilepsies was partial seizures evolving to secondarily generalized.

Conclusion: Childhood epilepsies are a common neurological problems accounting for 21.1% of the total epilepsy patients. Benign epilepsy of childhood with centro temporal spike (BECTS) was the commonest idiopathic localization related epilepsy, whereas Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) was the commonest idiopathic generalized epilepsy. A family history of epilepsy was more commonly noted in JME. Therapeutic response were better observed in idiopathic epilepsies.

Keywords: Epilepsy, Seizure, Convulsion, Pediatric, EEG.

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Ashok Kumar

Professor & HOD, Dept of Neurology

Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar (India)