A Study on Childhood Epilepsy among Traders in Benin City Nigeria.

Background: Epilepsy is a serious childhood disease associated with stigmatization in the community. Despite the deleterious effect of the disease on childhood brain growth and development, the disease is treatable.

Objective: The aim of this study is to document the knowledge of childhood epilepsy by community members using traders (market women and men in a popular market in Benin City, Nigeria) as a case study.

Phakomatosis pigmentovascularis type IIb in association with external hydrocephalus.

Phakomatosis pigmentovascularis (PPV) is a rare sporadic genetic disorder characterised by co-occurrence of an extensive vascular nevus and a large pigmentary nevus with or without extracutaneous manifestations. There are four types of PPV with subtype 'a' for cutaneous involvement only and subtype 'b' for cutaneous and systemic involvement. PPV type IIa consists of nevus flammeus, Mongolian spots and sometimes nevus anemicus.

Pattern of emergency neurologic morbidities in children.

Neurologic morbidities seen in the children's emergency facility of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, over a five-year period (July 1996-June 2001) was evaluated to determine the pattern and outcome. Notes and ward records of patients with neurologic morbidities were retrieved. Data obtained from these sources include age, sex principal diagnosis, duration of stay and outcome.