Abstract
The author reports a male infant with benign myoclonus of early infancy (BMEI). Series of spasms were first seen at the age of 6 months, then occurred from once to three times a day while he was awake, but never during sleep. The first examination at the age of 8 months revealed a normally developed infant with no neurological abnormality. Both interictal-and ictal-electroencephalograms (EEG) were normal. During three months of follow-up observation with no medication, the spasms completely disappeared. He was subsequently observed up to 2 years and 0 month of age and showed normal psychomotor development, normal EEG with no epileptic discharges, and absence of any types of seizures.
The spasms associated with BMEI have been considered to be a non-epileptic phenomenon. They are benign and disappear spontaneously without any complication. Therefore, it is important to differentiate BMEI from various epileptic syndromes, especially West syndrome, to avoid unnecessary administration of antiepileptic drugs.
