title: Prevalence of Epileptiform Discharges in Healthy Infants.
abstract: Most studies on epileptiform discharges in young children were performed using analog electroencephalographic (EEG) recording systems and a limited numbers of electrodes that might have a lower detection rate for epileptiform discharges than modern digital recording systems. Knowing the prevalence of epileptiform discharges in healthy children is critical for a valid interpretation of findings in patients with a suspected epileptic disorder. We reviewed EEG recordings of 393 otherwise healthy children aged 12 to 60 months using digital EEG recording with respect to epileptiform discharges. We found epileptiform discharges in 3 children aged 12, 34 and 55 months resulting in a prevalence of epileptiform discharges in our cohort of 0.76% (95% confidence interval 0.0% to 1.62%). The prevalence of epileptiform discharges in children younger than 5 years is by far lower than in older children, and the digital findings are in accordance with previous data of conventional EEG.
authors.affiliation: Witten Herdecke University, Witten, Germany.
authors.forename: Christelle J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bihege
authors.affiliation: Center for Child and Adolescent Medicine, HELIOS Hospital Wuppertal, Germany Institute for Professionalism and Ethical Practice (IPEP), Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.affiliation: Witten Herdecke University, Witten, Germany Center for Child and Adolescent Medicine, HELIOS Hospital Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas C W
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Jenke
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center Kork, Kehl, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bast
authors.affiliation: Witten Herdecke University, Witten, Germany Center for Child and Adolescent Medicine, HELIOS Hospital Wuppertal, Germany peter.borusiak@helios-kliniken.de.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borusiak
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: EEG; epilepsy; infant; minor head trauma; seizures