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Epileptiform patterns of children
1Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Insights
This review covers childhood epilepsy patterns on EEG, focusing on interictal abnormalities. It highlights challenges in distinguishing normal development from significant epileptiform discharges in pediatric EEGs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Clinical Neurophysiology
Background:
- Children exhibit nearly all interictal and ictal epileptiform patterns, excluding neonatal types.
- Epilepsies in children include idiopathic and secondary, generalized and partial forms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review epileptiform patterns in childhood epilepsies.
- To focus on interictal activities and differential diagnosis in pediatric EEGs.
Main Methods:
- Review of epileptiform patterns in idiopathic and secondary epilepsies (generalized and partial).
- Analysis of periodic patterns and benign epileptiform variants in childhood.
- Emphasis on interictal activities and differential diagnostic features.
Main Results:
- Children display a wide spectrum of epileptiform EEG patterns.
- Distinguishing epileptiform patterns from normal pediatric EEG background is challenging.
- Atypical waveforms are common in children's EEGs.
Conclusions:
- Understanding diverse pediatric EEG patterns is crucial for accurate diagnosis.
- Careful differentiation between normal and abnormal findings is essential in pediatric epilepsy evaluations.
- Illustrations aid in recognizing both classic and atypical epileptiform presentations in children.
Abstract:
Infants and children display almost the entire range of interictal and ictal epileptiform patterns, exclusive of those seen in the neonatal period. This paper reviews patterns seen in the idiopathic and secondary forms of epilepsies, both generalized and partial, as well as periodic patterns and benign epileptiform variants as they appear in childhood. The discussion focuses on interictal activities, the abnormalities most commonly seen in the EEG laboratory. Special attention is paid to differential diagnostic features; the distinctions between significant epileptiform patterns and normal background features of the maturing child's EEG can be particularly challenging. A large number of illustrations are provided to demonstrate not only the classic epileptiform patterns but also many of the less typical presentations, since children's EEGs show a greater number of atypical waveforms.