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Neonatal Seizures in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Review of the Literature and Recommendations for the
Sarah Spenard1, Carlos Ivan Salazar Cerda2, Mehmet Nevzat Çizmeci1
1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Insights
Neonatal seizures are a major cause of infant mortality. This review offers practical management strategies for resource-limited settings, improving care for neonatal seizures worldwide.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal neurology
- Pediatric intensive care
- Global health
Background:
- Neonatal seizures are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality globally.
- Advances in neonatal medicine have improved diagnosis and treatment in high-income countries.
- Resource limitations in low- and middle-income countries pose challenges for managing neonatal seizures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive review of neonatal seizures.
- To cover etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment.
- To offer practical, implementable recommendations for resource-limited settings.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of current evidence on neonatal seizures.
- Analysis of diagnostic and treatment modalities.
- Development of management guidelines for resource-limited contexts.
Main Results:
- Identified key challenges in managing neonatal seizures in low-resource settings.
- Synthesized current evidence on etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment.
- Formulated practical recommendations tailored for resource-limited environments.
Conclusions:
- Effective management of neonatal seizures is achievable even with limited resources.
- Evidence-based recommendations can guide clinical practice in low- and middle-income countries.
- Addressing neonatal seizures globally requires context-specific strategies.
Abstract:
Neonatal seizures are a common cause of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission and a significant source of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Over the recent decades, there have been significant improvements in perinatal and neonatal medicine and electroencephalograp hic monitoring that have enhanced the diagnosis and treatment of neonatal seizures in highincome countries. However, the management of neonatal seizures remains a major challenge in low- to middle-income countries, where the availabilityof resources is limited. The purpose of this article is to present a comprehensive review of the current evidence on the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of neonatal seizures and to offer practical management recommendations that could be implemented in resource-limited settings. Cite this article as: Spenard S, Ivan Salazar Cerda C, Cizmeci MN. Neonatal seizures in low and middleincome countries: Review of the literature and recommendations for the management. Turk Arch Pediatr. 2024;59(1):13-22.
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