Convulsions in childhood: electroencephalographs aspects

Abstract

The electroencephalographic records of 700 children, up to 6 years old, with a history of only convulsions without other clinical manifestations are analysed. The EEG findings in patients with febrileand non febrile convulsions,in waking and sleeping state and according to their age (0-2 and 3-6 years old), were compared statistically. From this study three main conclusions can be drawn: 1) there is a significant percentage of cerebral abnormalities among the children with isolated convulsions; 2) there is a significantly higher incidence of focal abnormalities in patients with non febrile convulsionsthan in those with febrile convulsions,suggesting that convulsions in each group may correspond to different cerebral conditions; 3) in the electroencephalographic study of these children with convulsions one must take into account the state of the patient during the recording (awake or asleep). It would be an error to consider results as they were of a homogeneous group.