Panayiotopoulos syndrome

Panayiotopoulos syndrome, otherwise known as early-onset benign partial epilepsy with occipital paroxysms, or idiopathic susceptibility to early-onset benign childhood seizures with electroencephalographic (EEG) occipital spikes [http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/panayio.html] , is an epileptic syndrome estimated to affect between one in seven and one in ten children with epilepsy [http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/324/7348/1228] . It is idiopathic and recides after childhood. The symptoms are characterised by infrequent autonomic seizures [http://www.ilae-epilepsy.org/ctf/pana_synd.html] (often as few as one or two), more specifically vomiting, deviation of the eyes and jerking movements. Anti-epileptic drugs can be prescribed for treatment, but are usually not necessary unless the number or intensity of seizures is particularly high [http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/118/4/e1237] - generally, sufferers will show no developmental problems and will go into remission [http://www.indianpediatrics.net/may2008/may-420-421.htm] after a period of two to three years.