Benign epilepsy of children with centrotemporal EEG foci: a follow-up study in adulthood of patients initially studied as children

Abstract

A group of patients with benign epilepsy of children with centrotemporal EEG foci, consisting of 40 patients reported 10 years ago, has been reinvestigated. Thirty-seven of these patients were reinvestigated. They were 26-34 years old (mean, 29 years). The observation time from the first seizure was 13-27 years (mean, 21 years). Thirty-six patients had been seizure free for 14-23 years (mean, 18.5 years); 32 patients had stopped medication 5-22 years ago (mean, 18.5 years); and 5 patients had had problems in obtaining their drivers' licenses. No epileptic discharges were found in those 24 patients who volunteered for a new EEG study. The conclusion is drawn that this common seizure disorder in children has a good long-term prognosis.