[The partial epilepsies in childhood--evolution and prognosis factors (author's transl)]

The authors have studied 119 cases of partial epilepsies, selected from the patients treated in the Centre Saint-Paul between 1966 and 1970 according to the following criteria: seizures beginning before the age of 12; electro-clinical evolution known about for at least 5 years (mean duration: 13 years 3 months). The cases are separated in 4 groups according to the severity of epilepsy: (1) complete recovery and withdrawal of treatment; (2) no seizure with treatment; (3) persisting seizures with treatment; (4) frequent and severe seizures with treatment. The severe epilepsies are characterized by an early commencement of fits (before 3 years), associated symptoms of encephalopathy, lack of familial antecedents, association of several types of seizures, or the existence of a particular critical semiology (either complex partial motor seizures, or succession of simple motor and complex semiology, sudden fall, or reflex triggering). However, it is also necessary to consider the syndromic grouping of signs which is of greater value than a simple analysis of benignity or malignancy factors.