Automated diagnosis of encephalitis in pediatric patients using EEG rhythms and slow biphasic complexes.

Slow biphasic complexes (SBC) have been identified in the EEG of patients suffering for inflammatory brain diseases. Their amplitude, location and frequency of appearance were found to correlate with the severity of encephalitis. Other characteristics of SBCs and of EEG traces of patients could reflect the grade of pathology.

Lidocaine treatment in refractory status epilepticus resulting from febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome: a case report and follow-up.

We report the management of refractory status epilepticus (SE) by using continuous intravenous infusions of lidocaine in a previously healthy 15-year-old girl with a "catastrophic encephalopathy" in whom a diagnosis of febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome was supposed. One week after a banal pharyngitis and fever, the patient presented confusion and intractable clusters of seizures. Although she underwent multiple examinations investigating all possible etiologies (intracranial infection, autoimmune disease, or toxic and metabolic illness), all results were negative except a feeble positivity to Mycoplasma pneumoniae serum antibodies.

Are dyslexia and dyscalculia associated with Rolandic epilepsy? A short report on ten Italian patients.

Rolandic epilepsy (RE) is the most common childhood epilepsy syndrome with a good, long-term outcome. Nevertheless, some studies indicate that children with RE have more scholastic and neuropsychological problems than controls. The purpose of this study was to describe neuropsychological findings in a small group of Italian children with RE, focusing on dyslexia and dyscalculia.