Epilepsy Information

Benign myoclonic epilepsy of infancy

• Presentation:
  - Age: 6 month to 3 years
    * Seizure types: 
       - myoclonic seizures
       - 3 of 10 are triggered by lights or startle
       - Some happen with fever (febrile seizures)

• Diagnosis:
  - EEG:
    * Ictal EEG (during seizure): polyspike-wave
    * Interictal EEG(between seizures): normal 
    * Genetic testing. Sodium channel gene (SCN1A)

• Causes: 
  - Unknown

• Prognosis:
  - Development: normal in most cases
  - Remission with rare predisposition for grand mal seizures later in life
 
• Treatment: 
  - Only for a few years
  - Valproic acid (Depakote)

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