[Epilepsies in childhood: differential diagnosis of their forms and courses (author's transl)]

Childhood epilepsies (not including the first 2 years of life) are outlined and discussed; particular emphasis is laid upon the variety of certain forms of epileptic conditions and their clinical course. These forms are divided as follows: a) The Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: a poly-etiological condition with distinct clinical-ictal and electroencephalographic characteristics, mostly associated with mental defects and prognostically unfavorable. b) "Common generalized epilepsy" (also called "centrencephalic" epilepsy), characterized by petit mal absences or a combination of petit mal and grand mal and with a predominantly favorable prognosis. c)Childhood epilepsies with focal spikes in the EEG, in most cases a very benign form with an excellent prognosis. These 3 forms of seizure disorders may be divided in subgroups. The distinction of fine diagnostic nuances is quite helpful but requires well integrated epileptological and EEG experience. The special role of temporal lobe epilepsy is briefly discussed. Furthermore, several etiologies of childhood etiologies are singled out such as inborn errors of metabolism (lipidoses, amino-acidurias), essential hereditary myoclonus epilepsy, tuberous sclerosis, Sturg-Weber's disease, encephalitis, brain tumor and brain abscess. The fringe of the seizure ("borderland of epilepsy") is briefly delineated.