[Congenital and acquired hemiplegia in children: epileptic crisis and eletrencephalografic signs].

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to compare the presence or absence of seizures and their relationship with the electroencephalographic findings in children with congenital and acquired hemiplegia.

METHODS

35 children with congenital and acquired hemiplegia were studied by clinical and electroencephalographic features. We analyzed the frequency and seizures severity and their relationship between the background activity and epileptogenic discharges in the electroencephalogram (EEG).

RESULTS

From the 35 children, 26 (74.6%) presented congenital hemiplegia and 9 (25.6%) acquired one. Seventeen (48.5%) had right hemiplegia and 18 (51.4%) left one. It was find 25 cases (71.4%) with seizures and 10 cases without seizures. All the patients with seizures presented abnormal EEG activity that was bilateral in 44% of the cases. The patient without seizures presented abnormal background activity in 90% of cases and only 10% were bilateral. Concerning epileptogenic activity, it was find 78% of patients with seizures and 68% of patients without seizures. There was statistical significance related to abnormal background activity and uncontrolled epileptic seizures.

CONCLUSION

The bilateral disorganization of the background activity in the EEG is related with uncontrolled seizures. The background activity well organized in the opposite side of lesion has a good prognosis to control seizures. The epileptogenic focal activity isn't always related with the presence of seizures.