Benign Childhood Epilepsy

The disease is widespread among children, and up to 30% of all epileptics fall into this category.

It is urgent that awareness, generally, there is an excellent prognosis of epilepsy in children. Therefore it should not be unnecessary panic when the child receives an attack many thorough investigations will be needed in each case. This is the case of an Indian child women, aged 7, was discussed by the author with Lord Walton. The child suddenly started receiving a tension on the left side of his face, from the angle of the mouth to the left ear. To start, the shocks were transitory, and she suffered an attack a day for the first two days. The third day, she had three attacks. The fifth day, the attack lasted about 2-3 minutes. This female child was labeled as a case of focal epilepsy. The child's parents were very cooperative, they have not lost much time, and shows the author's case, and the patient, after inspection, has been on an appropriate antiepileptic drug, which continued for about 3 years.

Clinical data and investigation reports in question were sent to London for the famous neurologist Lord Walton, and he, after having traversed the case, labeled as a case of 'benign focal epilepsy of childhood . Later the matter was taken for personal discussions with Lord Walton during our meeting at the General Medical Council, London. The general opinion was that such cases, the prognosis is very good, and if the full course of treatment is performed without interruption, it is very likely that the child can be free of epileptic attacks forever.

This patient had an uneventful course, parents were very satisfied that their child is exempt from penalty, after three years of medication. That is exactly what happened, and now after a lapse of six years, the patient, took drugs, had no attacks. But this girl is 16 years young good health, studies, and in sports.

It is therefore clear that epilepsy is a curable disease, and the above cases should help dispel misconceptions about it. Therefore, do not feel upset, regardless of age. Each patient is likely to recover, sooner or later. Some patients may need medication at high doses over a long period, ie beyond 3-5 years. This depends on the underlying disease, the threshold / resistance and the severity of the disease.

A word can also be said about epilepsy in newborns / infants. In this case, the mother is the eyewitness true, and it should closely monitor the child, especially when there is a history of epilepsy in the family. It must keep a sharp eye on the movements of the newborn. There may be as imperceptible signs, as eye deviation, swallowing movements, unusual movements (spanking) of the lips, etc. It may be transient, generalized convulsions / jerky motion, as in myoclonic epilepsy. Be transient, first, these movements can be overlooked. However, when the notice of the mother such abnormal development (s) / seizures in children, a pediatrician / neurologist should be consulted for testing / treatment to be particularly brain injury and mental retardation a later stage.

However, parents should not become a panic at first, like many movements Transitional / disorders that may mimic symptoms of epilepsy, when the child, in fact, may be impaired as other breath-holding spells or infantile syncope (transient unconsciousness) attacks, as a result of congenital heart disease. Hence the diagnosis of epilepsy in a newborn / infant should be made keeping in view all these considerations.