Benign Idiopathic Neonatal Convulsions (also called Fifth Day Fits)
• Presentation:
- Age: Seizures often occur on or close to the fifth day after birth.
Seizure types: Seizures are usually clonic (rhythmic jerking of one or more arm and or leg) or apneic (the baby briefly stops breathing). The second seizure type is often associated with a dramatic color change where the infant becomes very pale or even looks bluish in color.
• Diagnosis:
- The criteria for appropriate diagnosis of this disorder include the baby being born at full-term, there should be no history of complications during the pregnancy or delivery, and a normal neurological exam should be found before and between seizures.
• Prognosis:
- In general there is the expectation that the child will outgrow the seizures and have normal development and intelligence in the future.
- However rarely, some infants diagnosed as having benign Idiopathic Neonatal Convulsions have gone on to have developmental delay.
• Treatment: no medications are needed