Practitioner review: Recognition of pseudoseizures in children and adolescents

Pseudoseizures or their possibility remain a troublesome clinical issue wit h serious implications as, particularly in older children and adolescents, they can take various forms so that their differential diagnosis is wide. M any of the traditional criteria do not, in fact, discriminate well between pseudoseizures and other episodic disorders, especially those involving dra matic behavioural manifestations. These include certain forms of epilepsy ( notably mesial frontal seizures) and some other organic and psychiatric con ditions. A number of more reliable diagnostic criteria remain. These includ e selective clinical criteria and certain findings from carefully conducted EEG monitoring with informed analysis of the results.