The name epilepsy, from a neurologist's point of view, refers precisely to a disease process that has a different aetiology and a common clinical picture.
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Idiopathic partial ep ilepsy occurs in most cases in childhood and, importantly, there is a genetic load. In most cases, it has a good prognosis and a good response to medication.
Primary generalised epilepsies mainly affect infancy and early childhood. An epileptic seizure occurs as a result of brain damage at some stage of puberty. In most cases, the child's development is abnormal and seizure control is impossible.
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Among the common epileptic syndromes, are:
- Lennox - Gastaut syndrome, which is characteristic of childhood. The predominant symptoms include mental retardation, the occurrence of tonic, myoclonic, atonic and absence seizures and prominent changes in the EEG.
- West syndrome, which is relatively rare and the onset of seizures is 3-12 months of age. Characteristic symptoms include delayed psychomotor development, prominent EGG changes and infantile spasms. The prognosis in this syndrome is usually inauspicious.
