Case of Childhood Absence Epilepsy with Focal Spikes.

Background: Childhood absence epilepsy is a common generalized epilepsy syndrome characterized by childhood onset of frequent sporadic absence seizures. During onset, the electroencephalogram exhibits bilateral, symmetric, and synchronous discharges of approximately 3 Hz of generalized spike-and-wave complexes. Focal spikes are often found in children with focal epilepsy but are not common in absence epilepsy.

Case Description: In the case patient, focal spikes were observed during active onset of absence epilepsy and at 5 years after the first hospital visit, at which time absence epilepsy was controlled and medication was withdrawn without focal seizure attack in the interim.

Conclusions: This case demonstrates that focal spikes associated with childhood absence epilepsy do not require specific treatment in the absence of focal seizures.