Abstract
Forty-nine patients with cerebral palsy, mental retardation, or other congenital neurological disorders who had experienced febrile convulsions and had no previous nonfebrile seizures were presented. They were followed for 1.6 years to 15 years (mean: 6.8 years) after the initial febrile convulsion.
The incidence of subsequent epilepsy (two or more afebrile seizures) was 39%, and 80% of them developed epilepsy within 2 years after the first febrile convulsion. The paroxysmal discharges on EEG recorded prior to or after the first febrile convulsion did not predict the occurrence of later epilepsy. Also under 3 years of age, EEG findings led to the same result. There was no definite evidence that administration of anticonvulsive drugs prevented later epilepsy. Pre-existing neurological abnormality was identified as a risk factor for epilepsy, and was an indication of persistent medication. There is no clear prophylactic procedure against long-lasting attacks. Accordingly, medical therapy can be started when epilepsy has developed.
Patients with very severe brain damage who could not move except lying comprised only 6% of all cases, and 69% of the epilepsy patients were well controlled. They showed a good prognosis as compared with children with brain-damage in general with epilepsy.
