CHILDHOOD EPILEPSY IN ILORIN, NIGERIA

Ninety eight children with epilepsy attending the Neurology clinic, Un iversity of Ilorin Teaching Hospital over a two gear period were studi ed prospectively, Males were more affected than females in a ratio of 5:3, Generalised tonic - clonic seizures accounted for 62.2% of the ca ses, and partial seizures for 17.4%. Infantile spasms were seen exclus ively in infants less than two years old and absence and generalised s eizures in children more than three Sears of age, Skull radiography sh owed abnormal finding in 11.2%. Ectroencephalography showed typical fi ndings in 43.9%. Hemiplegia was the most common neurological sequelae (30.3%). Other sequelae include hyperactivity, irrational behaviour, e xpressive aphasia, mental subnormality, deafness, and blindness in tha t order, Therapy with a single appropriate anticonvulsant was usually effective for seizure control except in some patients. with focal seiz ures, infantile spasms, severely delayed developmental milestones and prolonged seizures, Poor drug compliance remains the major constraint to adequate seizure control, further compounded in this environment by nonavailability of drugs and unaffordable costs.