[Catamnestic studies of children with epilepsy]

Late results of epilepsy treatment in 150 children hospitalized in the Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Paediatrics, Medical Academy in Warsaw and followed-up in the outpatient clinic of this Department are described. The criteria of selection of the cases for analysis were age of 10 years, at least, and disease duration at least 4 years. It was found that in 72% of cases the seizures had been completely controlled (absent for at least 2 years). In 28% the seizures continued despite systematic treatment. The analysis showed that persistence of seizures was caused, among other factors, by the degree and extent of the organic damage to the central nervous system confirmed in neurological and psychological examination and electroencephalographic investigations, the type of seizures, mainly seizures of salaam type and partial seizures with complex signs, recurring status epilepticus, and coexistence of various types of seizures in a child. Interseizure psychic disturbances were more frequently observed in children in whom the seizures could not have been controlled completely.