VISUAL ABNORMALITIES AND OCCIPITAL EEG DISCHARGES - RISK-FACTORS FOR WEST SYNDROME

Seventeen infants (7 boys and 10 girls) with visual abnormalities (suc h as poor tracking and following and nystagmoid eye movement) and occi pital slow activities with irregular polyspikes on EEG were studied. T wo thirds of the children showed development of West syndrome with hyp sarrhythmia on follow-up EEG. In 1 child, hypsarrhythmia was evident o n the follow-up EEG, but no clinical seizures occurred. Because most o f the children in our series developed West syndrome, patients with vi sual abnormalities associated with occipital EEG discharges in early i nfancy may be at high risk for West syndrome. Occipital abnormalities in early infancy may relate to the occurrence of West syndrome.