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Epilepsy in the Child with Cerebral Palsy

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Cerebral Palsy

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Abstract

Epilepsy is a significant comorbidity of cerebral palsy, occurring in 35–62% of affected children. It is the leading cause of hospitalization in children with cerebral palsy. Most patients with CP and epilepsy will experience their first seizures within their first year of life. The diagnosis of epilepsy is guided by the clinical scenario and EEG findings, with the assessment of likelihood of seizure recurrence as the most important factor. The choice of anticonvulsant medication is based upon seizure semiology, syndrome, and expected side effects. Specific epileptic syndromes, most notably infantile spasms and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, are especially prevalent in the cerebral palsy population. Although a serious problem, there is a high likelihood of both seizure control and seizure remission after 3 years of treatment, in the population with cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, USA

    Stephen Falchek

Authors
  1. Stephen Falchek
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Correspondence to Stephen Falchek .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, USA

    Freeman Miller

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, USA

    Steven Bachrach

  3. Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, USA

    Nancy Lennon

  4. Columbia University, Irving Medical Center, Programs in Physical Therapy, New York, NY, USA

    Margaret E. O'Neil

Section Editor information

  1. Department of Pediatrics (Emeritus), Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, USA

    Steven J. Bachrach

  2. Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Steven J. Bachrach

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Falchek, S. (2020). Epilepsy in the Child with Cerebral Palsy. In: Miller, F., Bachrach, S., Lennon, N., O'Neil, M.E. (eds) Cerebral Palsy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74558-9_29

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74558-9_29

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-74557-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-74558-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

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