Electroclinical features of absence seizures in childhood absence epilepsy

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To accurately define the electroclinical features of absence seizures in children with newly diagnosed, untreated childhood absence epilepsy (CAE). METHODS: The authors searched an EEG database for absence seizures in normal children with new onset untreated absence epilepsy. Seventy consecutive children were classified into IGE syndromes. The clinical and EEG features of the seizures in the children with CAE were analyzed using video-EEG recordings. RESULTS: The authors analyzed 339 absence seizures in 47 children with CAE. The average seizure duration was 9.4 seconds and clinical features consisted of arrest of activity, loss of awareness, staring, and 3-Hz eyelid movements, but..