Cryptogenic epilepsy in children

This medical conclusion is not a definitive diagnosis, the symptomatology can change with age and evolve into an already known form, and also - regress.

Cryptogenic epilepsy includes the most well-known epileptic syndromes that manifest in childhood.

• The Vest syndrome (infantile or infantile spasms) first appears in infancy. Such a diagnosis is already present in babies at the age of four to six months, male infants are more susceptible to this disease. The syndrome is characterized by frequent, not amenable to medical therapy seizures. The electroencephalogram shows chaotic brain hyperactivity, the early psychomotor development of the child is disrupted.
• Lennox-Gasto syndrome manifests itself in older children with the following symptomatology: children suddenly fall (atony), while maintaining consciousness, sometimes - disconnecting literally for a moment. As a rule, they do not have seizures. The fit is very fast and the baby is already on its feet.

With this syndrome, paroxysms of falls can be observed in the framework of asthenic-astatic, myoclonic-static, tonic seizures, atypical absences. The most common Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is diagnosed by four-six-year-old children, however, it can also occur in two-three-year-olds and eight-year-olds.

In about half of the cases, Vest syndrome was diagnosed in infants in sick children, in other cases, Lennox-Gasto syndrome appeared as an independent disease after two years.

Tonic seizures appear at any time of the day, differ in variety. They are characterized by: unexpected bending of the neck and body; The patient's arms are usually raised upwards in a semi-bent state. The contractions of the facial muscles are noticeable, the patient rotates his eyes, his face turns red and his breathing stops.

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is also characterized by atypical absences, which differ in the variety of symptoms. In this case, consciousness to some extent may be present, as well as partly motor and speech activity. Often also occurs hypersalivation, complete or partial absence of facial expression, myoclonia of the mouth and eyelids, and a variety of atonic phenomena: the head falls helplessly onto the chest, the mouth opens slightly. Atypical absences often occur against the background of a decrease in muscle tone, which looks like "limp" of the body, usually beginning from the top - from the facial and cervical muscles. Intellectual deficit in the cryptogenic variant of this syndrome develops immediately after the onset of attacks.

• Generalized convulsive seizures manifest myoclonic-astatic form of cryptogenic epilepsy. This usually occurs between the ages of ten months to five years. Most often, such seizures manifest in 1-3 years, closer to the age of five, there are myoclonic and myoclonic-astatic seizures. Externally, the seizure looks like convulsive very fast movements of the arms and legs, in combination with frequent nods, a light, pulsating convulsion running through the body. The patient falls, as if he were hit under his knees. Seizures mostly happen in the morning, after getting up from bed.

Symptomatic of epileptic seizures differs depending on the age group of patients.

In infancy, seizures can be confused with febrile seizures or hyperactivity of the child. The baby can get fever, it becomes whiny and irritable, convulsions usually begin on one side of the body and gradually shift to the other. Frozen hypersalivation, as well as sleep and appetite disorders, as a rule, are not observed.

In early childhood usually there are no cramps. Seizures occur in the form of a detachment from the surrounding reality. The child freezes with a focused look "in itself," does not respond to treatment.

Schoolboys, especially the male, complain about paresthesia of the skin and mucous membrane of the mouth and larynx. The lower jaw is shifted to the side, teeth beat out a fraction, the tongue trembles, intensified drooling and slurred speech. Seizures often begin in a dream.

In adolescents, muscle convulsions are observed throughout the body, tension of the trunk, limbs against the background of syncope, involuntary emptying of the intestine and bladder. During a fit, patients often turn their heads, throwing it in any direction.

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5]