Childhood epilepsy in Ilorin, Nigeria.

Ninety eight children with epilepsy attending the Neurology clinic, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital over a two year period were studied prospectively. Males were more affected than females in a ratio of 5:3. Generalised tonic-clonic seizures accounted for 62.2% of the cases, and partial seizures for 17.4%. Infantile spasms were seen exclusively in infants less than two years old and absence and generalised seizures in children more than three years of age. Skull radiography showed abnormal findings in 11.2%. Ectroencephalography showed typical findings in 43.9%. Hemiplegia was the most common neurological sequelae (30.3%). Other sequelae include hyperactivity, irrational behaviour, expressive aphasia, mental subnormality, deafness, and blindness in that order. Therapy with a single appropriate anticonvulsant was usually effective for seizure control except in some patients with focal seizures, infantile spasms, severely delayed developmental milestones and prolonged seizures. Poor drug compliance remains the major constraint to adequate seizure control, further compounded in this environment by nonavailability of drugs and unaffordable costs.