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Paroxysmal non-epileptic events resembling seizures in children with otitis media

Teesta B Soman1, Kalpathy S Krishnamoorthy

  • 1Department of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada.

Clinical Pediatrics
|June 21, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Recurrent spells in children may mimic seizures but can stem from benign conditions like otitis media. This study highlights these seizure-like events in children with acute otitis media, suggesting a new differential diagnosis.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neurology
  • Otolaryngology

Background:

  • Recurrent spells in children are often misdiagnosed as seizures.
  • Benign conditions can present with seizure-like symptoms.
  • A specific association between otitis media and seizure-like phenomena has not been previously detailed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe a series of children with otitis media who experienced recurrent, stereotypic spells.
  • To investigate the potential link between acute otitis media and paroxysmal non-epileptic events.
  • To add otitis media-related phenomena to the differential diagnosis of seizure mimics in young children.

Main Methods:

  • Case series of 8 children diagnosed with otitis media.
  • Observation of recurrent, stereotypic spells suggestive of seizures.
  • Clinical assessment and diagnosis of acute otitis media.

Main Results:

  • All 8 children presented with recurrent, stereotypic spells.
  • These spells were associated with a diagnosis of otitis media.
  • The paroxysmal phenomena resembled seizures but were not epileptic in origin.

Conclusions:

  • Acute otitis media can be associated with paroxysmal phenomena that mimic seizures.
  • These seizure-like events in infants and young children should be considered in the differential diagnosis.
  • Otitis media represents a potential cause of non-epileptic paroxysmal events.

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