Febrile seizures and childhood epilepsy and risk of internalizing and psychotic symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether children with febrile seizures and/or epilepsy were at increased risk of experiencing internalizing symptoms or psychotic-like experiences at age 11 years. METHODS: This cohort study includes 44 819 children from the 11-year follow up of the Danish National Birth Cohort. Information on childhood seizures was retrieved from the Danish National Patient Registry, whereas child psychiatric symptoms were assessed in a web-based questionnaire using the Adolescent Psychotic-like Symptom Screener and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between childhood seizures and internalizing symptoms (symptom score ≥8) and psychotic-like experiences (≥2 definite experiences) were obtained using logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 1620 children with febrile seizures (3.6%), and 311 children with epilepsy (0.7%) were identified. When adjusted for potential confounders, no association between febrile seizures and psychiatric symptoms was observed, and no association was observed between epilepsy and psychotic-like experiences. However, the OR for internalizing symptoms was 1.76 (95% CI: 1.20-2.58) in children with epilepsy compared to children without. This higher risk was evident mainly in boys (OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.37-3.85), children with ≥2 epilepsy-related hospital admissions (OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.81-4.32), and children whose age at first epilepsy-related hospital admission was 0-3 years (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.45-4.19). SIGNIFICANCE: No association was found between febrile seizures and psychiatric symptoms or epilepsy and psychotic-like experiences at age 11. However, boys with epilepsy were at higher risk of experiencing internalizing symptoms.

Overrepresentation of epilepsy in children with type 1 diabetes is declining in a longitudinal population study in Finland.

AIM: The aim was to determine temporal changes in increased risk of epilepsy among children with type 1 diabetes. METHODS: The incidence of epilepsy up to age 15 in children with prior type 1 diabetes was analysed regarding the general Finnish child population using data from the Finnish nationwide hospital register. Type 1 diabetes and epilepsy were identified by the International Classification of Diseases 9th and 10th revision codes. Epilepsy was defined according to ILAE guidelines. The analyses were done using negative binomial regression models. RESULTS: Preceding type 1 diabetes was diagnosed in 6162 (0.91%) of the 679 375 general children population. Incidence rate of new-onset epilepsy among children with type 1 diabetes was higher than in controls (140 vs 82 per 100 000 person-years at risk, respectively). The excess incidence diminished with time (P = 0.033 for diabetes to birth cohort interaction), from over twofold in birth cohort 1990-1993 [incidence rate ratio 2.2 (95% CI 1.7-2.9)] to 40% in birth cohort 1998-2000 [1.4 (95% CI 1.001-1.9)]. CONCLUSION: In a population study setting, children with type 1 diabetes had an increased, but slowly declining risk of developing epilepsy. Future research may elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

One Child's Struggle in School: A Case Report of a Diagnosis of Seizures.

Some children diagnosed with epilepsy also have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Parents, teachers, and health care professionals may be the first to notice and recognize symptoms of a seizure in a child. In this case report, a patient's journey to a diagnosis of benign rolandic epilepsy will be reviewed.

Childhood seizures: assessment of the knowledge, attitude and home interventions among patients attending a paediatric outpatient clinic in Nigeria

Most seizures in children occur outside the hospital and effective first aid would protect individuals from harm. Study assessed the knowledge, attitude and home-based interventions for childhood seizures.Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted from 1stJune to 31stDecember, 2021 among caregivers of patients in a Paediatric outpatient clinic. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to assess knowledge, attitude, and home intervention of childhood seizures. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24 and results presented as frequency tables, percentages and charts. P-values < 0.05 were considered significant.Results: Out of 218 respondents, the commonest source of information on childhood seizures was from friends and relatives 126(73.2%). Fever was the commonest known cause. Only 15(6.9%) recognized seizure as a neurological disorder. Jerking of the body and clenchingof the teeth were the commonest recognizable symptoms. The majority said seizures were contagious (176(80.7%) and children with seizures should not go to school 187(85.8%). The overall knowledge score was poor. Negative attitudes included avoidance 19(8.7%), isolation from playing with peers (15(6.9%) and from the public 17(7.8%). Common interventions during seizures were putting palm kernel oil in the mouth while only 25(29.4%) took the child to the hospital or laid him down away from harmful objects 25(29.4%). The practice of home intervention for seizures was good in only 11(5.0%) of respondents

Intravenous levetiracetam in Thai children and adolescents with status epilepticus and acute repetitive seizures.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous levetiracetam is an option for treatment of status epilepticus (SE) and acute repetitive seizures (ARS). However, there have been relatively few studies with children and adolescents. Also, an appropriate dosage has yet to be determined. AIM: This study investigated the safety and the efficacy of levetiracetam for intravenous treatment of convulsive status epilepticus and acute repetitive seizures in children and adolescents. METHOD: Retrospectively, the study reviewed the medical records of 19 male and 31 female patients under 18 years of age who had received intravenous levetiracetam treatment either for acute repetitive seizures or for convulsive status epilepticus. The patients were admitted between April 1st, 2010 and December 31st, 2011 to the Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. Data were collected on underlying illnesses, etiology of seizures, indication for levetiracetam therapy, initial dosage, rate of infusion, untoward effects during infusion and emerged complications. Efficacy of treatment was defined as the termination of seizure within 30 min of completing levetiracetam infusion and no seizure recurrence within 6 h of initial treatment. RESULTS: The age range of the 50 patients was from one day to 18 years (mean 79.6 months). The analysis included 52 episodes of 34 acute repetitive seizures (63.4%) and 18 convulsive status epilepticus (34.6%). Infusion rates ranged from 2 to 66 mg/kg/min (mean 29.6). Cessation of seizure was obtained in 59.6% of 52 episodes. Patients with underlying drug resistant epilepsy did not respond to levetiracetam therapy as well as patients with other etiology of seizures. There were no adverse drug reactions or untoward effects observed during the therapy. CONCLUSION: Intravenous administration of levetiracetam is safe and effective for treatment of acute repetitive seizures and convulsive status epilepticus in children and adolescents. Failure of treatment may be related to underlying drug resistant epilepsy. Further study of appropriate initial dosage and pharmacokinetic variations in the patients is needed as possible explanation of the unresponsiveness.

Giant primary cerebral hydatid cyst: A rare cause of childhood seizure.

We report a 9-year-old girl who presented with focal seizures, hemiparesis, headache, vomiting and bilateral optic atrophy. CT scan revealed a giant solitary cyst in the left parietal lobe. Serology and histopathology of the excised cyst confirmed the diagnosis of neurohydatidosis which is a rare cause of childhood seizure.

Asociación entre rotavirus y síndrome convulsivo febril y afebril / Relationship between rotavirus and convulsive syndrome febrile and afebril

El Rotavirus es causa habitual de diarrea grave en niños pequeños a nivel mundial. Las manifestaciones clínicas incluyen: diarrea líquida, fiebre, y vómitos, llevando a estados de deshidratación y típica gastroenteritis; además pueden presentar múltiples complicaciones neurológicas, como convulsiones febriles o afebriles. La prevalencia real de estas convulsiones oscilaría entre el 2 y 6%. La fisiopatología de las mismas es aún incierta, pero se han propuesto teorías que intentan explicar un posible mecanismo, entre las que estarían involucrados factores genéticos, raciales, distribución de serotipos, factores pro-convulsivos e incluso alteraciones de la barrera hematoencefálica. Si bien este es un síndrome cuya etiología no es única, se tomará en cuenta la infección por rotavirus ya que este se ha identificado con mayor frecuencia, sobre todo en pacientes afebriles, evitando así procedimientos e intervenciones innecesarias para su diagnóstico.

The Rotavirus is common cause of severe diarrhea in young children worldwide. Clinical manifestations include: liquid diarrhea, fever, and vomiting, leading to states of dehydration and typical gastroenteritis; In addition, they may present multiple neurological complications, such as febrile seizures or afebrile seizures. The actual prevalence of these seizures would range between 2 and 6%. Their pathophysiology is still uncertain, but theories have been proposed that try to explain a possible mechanism, including genetic factors, racial, serotype distribution, pro-convulsive factors and even alterations of the blood-brain barrier. Although this is a syndrome whose etiology is not unique, rotavirus infection will be taken into account since it has been identified more frequently, especially in afebrile patients, thus avoiding unnecessary procedures and interventions for its diagnosis.