Childhood absence epilepsy
• Presentation:
- Age: 4 to 10 years
* Seizure types:
- Absence seizures
- Very frequent and in clusters
- Triggers:
* Hyperventilation
* More rarely photic stimulation
• Diagnosis:
- On EEG: generalized 3 Hz spike-wave discharges
• Causes:
- Genetic causes: family history of epilepsy
• Prognosis:
- Development: normal
- Disappear during adolescence
- GTC may occur later in life
- Rare cases of intractability
• Treatment:
- Depakote
- Lamictal
- Klonopin
- Keppra
- Diamox