Video-EEG in the diagnosis of paroxysmal events in children with mental retardation and in children with normal intelligence

Video-EEG monitoring was performed to evaluate 193 children (91 females, 10 2 males; mean age 9.6 years, SD 5.7) who presented with paroxysmal events o f uncertain etiology. Diagnosis of the type of event, i.e. epileptic or non -epileptic, was successfully established in 130 of 193 patients (67.3%). Se venty children (36%) had mental retardation* (MR). Children with MR were mo re likely (P <0.05) than children without MR to have events during the stud ies. Children with and without MR had strikingly similar frequencies of epi leptic and non-epileptic events. In participants who had events recorded an d characterized, epileptic seizures were identified in 67 children (51.5%), non-epileptic events in 54 children (41.5%), and both epileptic and non-ep ileptic events in nine children (7%). Improved diagnosis prompted appropria te management. This should encourage more frequent use of video-EEG in chil dren, especially in those with MR, to differentiate epilepsy from behaviora l disturbances so that specific treatment can be provided.