Related Experiment Videos
Nocturnal acute laryngospasm in children: a possible epileptic phenomenon
H A Cohen1, A Ashkenazi, A Barzilai
1Pediatric Ambulatory Center, Petach Tikva, Israel.
Insights
Nocturnal laryngospasm can be the sole indicator of epileptic disorders in children. Treatment with carbamazepine effectively resolved these rare episodes, highlighting a crucial diagnostic and therapeutic insight.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Sleep Medicine
- Epileptology
Background:
- Respiratory difficulties are common during epileptic seizures across all age groups.
- Laryngospasm as an isolated epileptic manifestation is exceptionally rare, with only two prior cases documented.
- Nocturnal laryngospasm as the sole presenting symptom of epilepsy is not well-described.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical presentation and diagnostic approach for nocturnal laryngospasm as the sole manifestation of epilepsy in children.
- To evaluate the efficacy of carbamazepine in treating this specific epileptic disorder.
- To raise awareness among clinicians about this rare but treatable condition.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series of five children presenting with nocturnal laryngospasm.
- Diagnostic workup included extensive investigations.
- Diagnosis confirmed by sleep-deprived electroencephalography (EEG) in two cases and polysomnography (sleep study) in three cases.
Main Results:
- Five children experienced nocturnal laryngospasm as their only symptom of epilepsy.
- Sleep-deprived EEG and sleep studies were instrumental in diagnosing the underlying epileptic disorder.
- All five patients responded promptly to carbamazepine treatment, with complete resolution of laryngospasm.
Conclusions:
- Nocturnal laryngospasm can be the exclusive clinical manifestation of epilepsy in pediatric patients.
- Diagnostic tools like sleep-deprived EEG and polysomnography are essential for identifying the epileptic origin.
- Carbamazepine is an effective therapeutic agent for resolving epileptic laryngospasm.
Abstract:
Respiratory difficulties are not uncommon during epileptic activity in all age groups. Laryngospasm, as an isolated manifestation of epileptic disorder, is a rare phenomenon described previously in only two patients. We report our experience with five children in whom nocturnal laryngospasm was the only clinical manifestation of their epileptic disorder. All children underwent extensive workup and the diagnosis was made by sleep-deprived electroencephalography (two cases) and sleep study (three cases). All patients were treated with carbamezapine with prompt resolution of their laryngospasm.