Neurodevelopmental problems in Ghanaian children: Part I. Convulsive disorder.
Children with convulsive disorder made up 3% of new patients seen in the paediatric department over a ten year period and 51.5% of children subsequently enrolled in the paediatric neuro-developmental clinic of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana. Generalised tonic-clonic seizures were the commonest type of seizure (76.5%), followed by complex seizures (14.8%) and temporal lobe seizures (3.4%). Majority of patients had no definable cause and normal neurological examination. 47.7% of electroencephalographs had diagnostic abnormalities. Most patients responded well to conventional antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) leading to discontinuation of drug therapy in 48 (7.1%) patients who remained seizure-free for two or more years. Adverse drug reactions and laboratory test abnormalities were rather uncommon. Discontinuation of antiepileptic therapy after effective long-term control is discussed.
Commey
J O
JO
Department of Child Health, University of Ghana Medical School Accra, Ghana.
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D004830:Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000927:Anticonvulsants