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[Benign focal epilepsies in infancy, childhood and adolescence]
1Servicio de Neurología; Hospital Nacional de Pediatría J. P. Garrahan, Buenos Aires, 1818, Argentina. nfejerman@iname.com
Insights
Certain childhood epilepsies, often considered benign, can have atypical progressions. This study examines benign familial infantile seizures, benign infantile seizures, benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes, and occipital epilepsies, highlighting their varied clinical courses.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Epileptology
- Clinical Neuroscience
Context:
- The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classification recognizes idiopathic and familial focal epilepsies.
- Infantile and childhood onset epilepsy syndromes are diverse, with varying prognoses.
Purpose:
- To describe the atypical evolutions of specific childhood focal epilepsy syndromes.
- To re-evaluate the "benign" nature of certain epilepsy types in children and adolescents.
Summary:
- Focuses on benign familial infantile seizures, benign infantile seizures (nonfamilial), benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS), idiopathic occipital epilepsy of childhood Gastaut type (IOEC), and benign occipital epilepsy of childhood Panayiotopoulos type (BOEC).
- Presents cases with atypical progressions, challenging the universally benign classification.
- Includes consideration of benign focal convulsions of adolescence.
Impact:
- Highlights the need for careful monitoring of childhood epilepsy syndromes.
- Informs clinical practice regarding the potential for varied disease trajectories.
- Contributes to a more nuanced understanding of focal epilepsies in pediatric populations.
Abstract:
INTRODUCTION. The last proposal for a classification of epileptic seizures and syndromes of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) includes recognition of several groups of epileptic syndromes and among them one of idiopathic focal epilepsies of infancy and childhood, and another of familial (autosomal dominant) focal epilepsies. The syndromes here described belong to these two groups and are: benign familial infantile seizures, benign infantile seizures (nonfamilial), benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS), idiopathic occipital epilepsy of childhood Gastaut type (IOEC) and benign occipital epilepsy of childhood Panayiotopoulos type (BOEC). Atypical evolutions of the cases with BCECTS, IOEC and BOEC diagnosed and followed in our group are described, showing that these conditions are not always so benign. Finally, the so called benign focal convulsions of adolescence are considered, even when they were not included in ILAE s last proposal.