Occurrence of a prolonged nonepileptic motor status after a febrile seizure.
OBJECTIVE
Febrile seizures are very common events in the pediatric population, and this disorder could be inherited. A previous article on nonepileptic status after a febrile seizure was published by Japanese authors. They described convulsive manifestations after a febrile seizure with an EEG counterpart characterized by delta activity and rhythmic theta discharges. We report two cases of nonepileptic prolonged motor status occurring after a simple febrile seizure, erroneously diagnosed as an epileptic status.


METHODS
An EEG was obtained during the episode in both of the children; for one of them, we performed a video-EEG recording.


RESULTS
In both children, this state was characterized by tonic, vibratory posture, and fluctuation of consciousness. The face was not involved, eyes were closed, and the children were not cyanotic. Ictal EEG showed alternating and mixed theta-delta activity. This activity appeared to be rhythmic in some periods. Clinical and EEG features did not change after administration of benzodiazepine.


CONCLUSIONS
We believe this uncommon condition to be a nonepileptic phenomenon, occurring after a simple febrile seizure, with favorable prognosis.
Specchio
Nicola
N
Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy. nicola.specchio@opbg.net
Cusmai
Raffaella
R
Volkov
Josiv
J
Montaldo
Paolo
P
Vigevano
Federico
F
D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D003700:Delta Rhythm / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D013826:Theta Rhythm / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014743:Videotape Recording