title: Epileptic negative myoclonus as the presenting seizure type in rolandic epilepsy.
abstract: Epileptic negative myoclonus is an uncommon seizure type characterized by a sudden, brief loss of muscle tone that may lead to falling. It has been associated largely with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (rolandic epilepsy), although it may also be a feature of other epileptic syndromes. In patients with rolandic epilepsy, epileptic negative myoclonus usually appears during the course of the disease, well after a diagnosis of the epilepsy has been established. Described here are five patients with rolandic epilepsy in which the presenting seizure was falls due to epileptic negative myoclonus. Because developmental delay or neurocognitive problems were present in three of the children, it is possible that epileptic negative myoclonus may be misinterpreted as clumsiness-related falls in some children who actually have undiagnosed rolandic epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Child Neurology Unit and Child Development Center, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel. Nathan.watemberg@clalit.org.il
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Watemberg
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Leitner
authors.forename: Aviva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fattal-Valevski
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kramer
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004569:Electroencephalography; D019305:Epilepsy, Rolandic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology