[Initial paroxysmal manifestations of epilepsy in children].

The article is devoted to characteristics of the onset of epilepsy in children. First paroxysmal manifestations observed in 727 children and 600 adults have been subjected to a comparative analysis. The children are characterized by the predominance of primary generalized attacks over secondary generalized and focal paroxysms. Other age-related differences in the structure of paroxysms have been ascertained. Complicated initial nonconvulsive forms of paroxysms and their time course are described. The author calls attention to the difficulties of therapy in connection with a great variability of paroxysmal manifestations which necessitate further improvement in the existent classification of epileptic attacks.