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Published on: February 19, 2014
Active Seizures in Children Are Often Subtle and Unrecognized by Prehospital Providers
Emily Rose1, Tiffany M Abramson, Yvette L Kearl
1From the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and, Department of Emergency Medicine, Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA.
Insights
Subtle seizure activity in children is often missed by prehospital providers. This case series highlights 7 pediatric patients whose seizures were unrecognized before emergency department arrival, emphasizing the need for improved recognition and timely treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Neurology
- Clinical Case Studies
Background:
- Early recognition and treatment of seizures are critical for improving patient outcomes.
- Seizure activity, especially in pediatric populations, can manifest subtly and may be overlooked by healthcare providers.
Observation:
- This case series retrospectively analyzed 7 pediatric patients (≤14 years) presenting to the emergency department with active seizures.
- Prehospital care providers failed to recognize the seizure activity in all 7 identified cases.
Findings:
- The study details the clinical presentations and subtle seizure signs observed in these pediatric patients.
- Emergency department disposition for these cases is also highlighted, providing insights into patient management.
Implications:
- Findings underscore the challenge of recognizing subtle pediatric seizures in prehospital settings.
- Improved diagnostic skills and awareness among prehospital providers are needed for earlier seizure identification and intervention in children.
Abstract:
Early recognition and treatment of seizures is essential for optimal patient outcomes. Seizure activity, particularly in young children, can be subtle and often go unrecognized by providers. This case series retrospectively identified 7 cases of pediatric patients (14 years and younger) who presented to the emergency department with active seizure activity that was unrecognized by the prehospital care providers. The presentation of these patients, their clinical signs of seizure, and emergency department disposition are highlighted in this series.
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