Neonatal Seizures and Neonatal Epilepsy

Excerpt

Seizures are common in neonates, particularly in the first month of life. Neonatal seizures can be either provoked or unprovoked. Provoked seizures, also known as acute symptomatic seizures, may result from hypoxic-ischemic injury, cerebral infarction, brain bleeds, metabolic derangements, or infections. Unprovoked seizures are often due to underlying structural brain abnormalities or genetic conditions.

Neonatal epilepsy syndromes are a group of electroclinical syndromes that are considered a medical urgency as they may indicate underlying structural or neuro-metabolic derangements. Although some of these disorders improve over time, others can lead to severe neurodevelopmental consequences, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Most neonatal seizures that occur in the first month of life are acute symptomatic. Neonatal epilepsy syndromes account for a smaller portion of neonatal seizures. Timely and accurate diagnosis is crucial for initiating appropriate therapy.