All issues > Volume 39(12); 1996

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1996;39(12):1745-1752. Published online December 15, 1996.

A Clinical Study on the Causes of Childhood Seizures According to the Age

Dong Wook DW Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Chinju, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
: Although it is important to know the causes of childhood seizures according to the age, the clinical studies on this topic are rare in Korea. So, I would like to perform this clinical study to evaluate the frequencies of the age-related seizure causes in children.
Methods
: This study was retrospectively undertaken to evaluate the age and sex distribution, the clinical seizure types, the seizure causes, and especially the frequencies of the age-related seizure causes of 514 children under 15 years of age with seizures, who were diagnosed at Gyeongsang National University Hospital during 4 years from March 1990 to February 1994.
Results
:Male to female ratio was 1.6:1 and the range of age was from 1 day to 14 years 8 months. There were 432 cases(84.0%) with generalized seizure types, 46(8.9%) with partial seizure types, and 36 with unknown clinical seizure types. The causes of seizures were listed as follows; febrile convulsions in 321 cases(62.5%), epilepsies in 90(17.5%), acute central nervous system infections in 23(4.5%), hypoxic ischemic encephalopathies in 16(3.1%), metabolic derangements in 10(1.9%), and intracranial hemorrhages in 6(1.2%). Finally, the frequencies of the age-related seizure causes were analyzed. Out of 46 cases under 3 months of age, 16 cases(34.8%) were hypoxic ischemic encephalopathies, 6(13.0%) metabolic derangements, and 4(8.7%) intracranial hemorrhages. Out of 375 cases between 3 months and 5 years of age, 291 cases(77.6%) were febrile convulsions, 33(8.8%) epilepsies, and 16(4.3%) acute central nervous system infections. Out of 93 cases between 5 and 15 years of age, 53 cases(57.0%) were epilepsies, 29(31.2%) febrile convulsions, and 4(4.3%) acute central nervous system infections.
Conclusion
: Above results reveal that the causes of childhood seizures in the differnt age groups are different and also suggest that hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is the most common seizure cause under 3 month of age , febrile convulsion between 3 month and 5 years of age, and epilepsy between 5 and 15 years of age. I hope that the further developed clinical and epidemiologic studies on this topic will be performed in Korea.

Keywords :Seizure, Childhood, Cause, Age