Children with seizures presenting to accident and emergency.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the diagnoses made in children presenting to an accident and emergency (A&E) department with seizures.


METHODS
All children who presented to a district general hospital A&E department with seizures over a 1 year period were identified. A retrospective review of A&E and hospital records was performed one year after they were first seen. The types of seizure, investigations performed, treatment given, and the range of associated diagnoses were ascertained.


RESULTS
199 children (of 21,795 attending A&E in the year) had 254 visits with seizures, which represented 1.2% of the child attendances at A&E. Self referral occurred in 87%, and 52 patients had established epilepsy. Febrile seizures were far the commonest type of first seizure (n = 75), but there were also 13 cases of symptomatic seizures resulting from various metabolic and neurological causes.


CONCLUSIONS
The children studied had a very different spectrum of problems from adults. A&E staff should be aware of the range of problems in children who present with seizures. Experienced paediatric staff should be available to assist all A&E departments where children are seen.
Smith
R A
RA
Department of Child Health, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Martland
T
T
Lowry
M F
MF
D017677:Age Distribution; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy
D000927:Anticonvulsants