The changing incidence of childhood epilepsy in Finland.

Introduction: to investigate the childhood epilepsy incidence, population trends, associated factors, and validate the national population registers.

Methods: a comprehensive comparative analysis of childhood epilepsy in the population during two distinct time intervals using medical records, appropriate national medical and population registers, and two random samples for control.

Results: In 1961-1964, the average incidence of epilepsy was 38/100,000 and during 1991-2000 65.

Acute symptomatic seizures: an educational, evidence-based review.

Acute symptomatic seizures occurring in close temporal relationship with an acute CNS insult are distinct from epilepsy and occur frequently in clinical practice. The aim of this educational review is to provide information on the most important aspects related to acute symptomatic seizures that will allow clinicians to accurately distinguish acute symptomatic seizures from epilepsy in their patients. We explain the definition of acute symptomatic seizures and we illustrate how acute symptomatic seizures differ from epilepsy.

What Do We Need to Know About Transition/Transfer Programs and What Sort of Research Will Answer the Questions?

Despite an increasing literature, there are many unanswered questions about transition to adult care for youth with chronic disorders. This paper questions the definition and components of optimal transition programs, their effectiveness and costs. Few transition programs have been comprehensively evaluated and effectiveness studies are usually based on a historical control group.

Childhood epilepsy with a small number of seizures may be left untreated: an international prospective study.

It is unknown whether treatment with antiepileptic drugs in children with epilepsy with a presumed good prognosis is always necessary. We aimed to study the course of newly diagnosed epilepsy in children with a presumed good prognosis who are managed without AED treatment. A total of 151 children (one month to 12 years of age) with two to five lifetime unprovoked seizures (excluding febrile convulsions), were followed for three years.

How can transition to adult care be best orchestrated for adolescents with epilepsy?

Objective evidence is limited for the value of transition programs for youth with chronic illness moving from pediatric to adult care; however, such programs intuitively "make sense". We describe the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of transition programs from around the world for adolescents with epilepsy. Consequences of poorly organized transition beyond suboptimal seizure control may include an increased risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), poor psychological and social outcome, and inadequate management of comorbidities.

The evaluation and costs of transition programs for youth with epilepsy.

There is limited information about the effectiveness of transition programs for youth moving from pediatric to adult care with any chronic disease. Two Delphi studies and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines about transition for epilepsy have suggested few critical outcome measures for transition. A single large prospective study found that the most important transition program elements were appropriate parent involvement, promotion of health self-efficacy, and meeting the adult team before transfer.

Regression in children with epilepsy.

Regression in children with epilepsy may involve loss of cognitive abilities, failure to progress or a slowing of developmental trajectory. A few seizures do not lead to regression. Large numbers of seizures may be associated with regression but the cause is an important cofounder.

Cognitive Disabilities and Long-term Outcomes in Children with Epilepsy: A Tangled Tail.

Cognitive problems ranging from mild specific learning problems to profound intellectual disability (ID) are very common in children with epilepsy. For most affected patients there is good evidence that the cognitive problems are present at the onset of seizures and do not deteriorate over time. There is no evidence that a few seizures lead to cognitive deterioration.

Epilepsy as a Network Disorder (1): What can we learn from other network disorders such as autistic spectrum disorder and mood disorders?

Epilepsy is a neurologic condition which often occurs with other neurologic and psychiatric disorders. The relation between epilepsy and these conditions is complex. Some population-based studies have identified a bidirectional relation, whereby not only patients with epilepsy are at increased risk of suffering from some of these neurologic and psychiatric disorders (migraine, stroke, dementia, autism, depression, anxiety disorders, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and psychosis), but also patients with these conditions are at increased risk of suffering from epilepsy.

Intractable seizures after a lengthy remission in childhood-onset epilepsy.

Objectives: To establish the risk of subsequent intractable epilepsy after ≥2, ≥5, and ≥10 years of remission in childhood-onset epilepsy.

Methods: From the Nova Scotia childhood-onset epilepsy population-based cohort patients with all types of epilepsy were selected with ≥20 years follow-up from seizure onset (incidence cases). Children with childhood absence epilepsy were excluded.

Epilepsy: Transition from pediatric to adult care. Recommendations of the Ontario epilepsy implementation task force.

The transition from a pediatric to adult health care system is challenging for many youths with epilepsy and their families. Recently, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care of the Province of Ontario, Canada, created a transition working group (TWG) to develop recommendations for the transition process for patients with epilepsy in the Province of Ontario. Herein we present an executive summary of this work.

Outcome of childhood-onset epilepsy from adolescence to adulthood: Transition issues.

This is the second of three papers that summarize the second symposium on Transition in Epilepsies held in Paris in June 2016. This paper addresses the outcome for some particularly challenging childhood-onset epileptic disorders with the goal of recommending the best approach to transition. We have grouped these disorders in five categories with a few examples for each.

Understanding Death in Children With Epilepsy.

Death in children with epilepsy is profoundly disturbing, with lasting effects on the family, community, and health care providers. The overall risk of death for children with epilepsy is about ten times that of the general population. However, the risk of premature death for children without associated neurological comorbidities is similar to that of the general population, and most deaths are related to the cause of the epilepsy or associated neurological disability, not seizures.

Treatment issues for children with epilepsy transitioning to adult care.

This is the third of three papers that summarize the second symposium on Transition in Epilepsies held in Paris in June 2016. This paper focuses on treatment issues that arise during the course of childhood epilepsy and make the process of transition to adult care more complicated. Some AEDs used during childhood, such as stiripentol, vigabatrin, and cannabidiol, are unfamiliar to adult epilepsy specialists.

The transition from pediatric to adult care for youth with epilepsy: Basic biological, sociological, and psychological issues.

Transition from pediatric to adult health care for adolescents with epilepsy is challenging for the patient, family, and health care workers. This paper is the first of three that summarize the main findings from the 2nd Symposium on Transition in Epilepsies, held in Paris from June 14-25, 2016. In this paper we describe five basic themes that have an important effect on transition.

Poor versus rich children with epilepsy have the same clinical course and remission rates but a less favorable social outcome: A population-based study with 25 years of follow-up.

Objective: To explore the influence of several estimates of family socioeconomic status on the long-term clinical course and social outcomes of children with epilepsy.

Methods: The Nova Scotia childhood epilepsy cohort is population based and includes all children in this Canadian province who developed epilepsy between 1977 and 1985. Eligible patients had ≥10 years of follow-up.

The neurologist's role in supporting transition to adult health care: A consensus statement.

The child neurologist has a critical role in planning and coordinating the successful transition from the pediatric to adult health care system for youth with neurologic conditions. Leadership in appropriately planning a youth's transition and in care coordination among health care, educational, vocational, and community services providers may assist in preventing gaps in care, delayed entry into the adult care system, and/or health crises for their adolescent patients. Youth whose neurologic conditions result in cognitive or physical disability and their families may need additional support during this transition, given the legal and financial considerations that may be required.

Helping Families Cope with the Severe Stress of Dravet Syndrome.

A child with Dravet syndrome shakes family life to the core. Dravet syndrome usually has three phases: (1) up to 1-1½ years: with episodes of febrile status epilepticus but normal development; (2) age 1½ to ~6-10 years: with frequent seizures of varying types, developmental stagnation, behavioural and sleep problems; (3) after ~10 years: improvement in seizures, deteriorating gait, intellectual disability but some developmental gains. Complete seizure control is rare-simply prescribing medication is inadequate to help families.

Delivery of epilepsy care to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Epilepsy is common in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In adulthood, patients with IDD and epilepsy (IDD-E) have neurologic, psychiatric, medical, and social challenges compounded by fragmented and limited care. With increasing neurologic disability, there is a higher frequency of epilepsy, especially symptomatic generalized and treatment-resistant epilepsies.

What do epileptologists recommend about discontinuing antiepileptic drugs for a second time in children?

Objective: There is a broad consensus that antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may be withdrawn after two years of seizure freedom for most children with epilepsy. If seizures recur and are, again, completely controlled with AEDs, little is known about discontinuing a second time. We surveyed American and Canadian pediatric epileptologists to understand their current practice.

Febrile seizures and genetic epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+).

To review the literature about febrile seizures and GEFS plus with special emphasis on management and outcome. Selected literature review. Febrile seizures are the most common convulsive event in humans, occurring in 2-6% of the population.