Epilepsy Information

Dravet Syndrome (severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy)

• Presentation:
  - Age: year of age
    * Seizure types: starts with prolonged febrile seizures (status epilepticus), generalized tonic clonic seizures (GTCS), atypical absence and complex partial seizures

• Diagnosis:
  - Genetic testing
 
• Causes: 
  - Genetic causes
  - Associated problems:
    * Status epilepticus
    * SUDEP
    * Autism
    * Movement disorders
    * Upper respiratory infections
    * Sleep problems 
    * Problems with nutrition and growth

• Prognosis:
  - Seizures stabilize by age four . 85% survive to adulthood.
  - Before seizures and then regression with developmental delay (???)
    * Risk of intellectual disability
    * Risk of persistent epilepsy into adulthood
    * Risk of death

• Treatment: difficult to control.
 

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