[Non-epileptic disorders in infancy and adolescence]

Abstract

Epilepsy affects 0.5% of the population. A 25% of the patients referred to epilepsy services have paroxysmal clinical events associated with motor activities, sensory or emotional alterations, or consciousness impairment, which are not epileptic seizures. The non-epileptic seizures can be classified as psychogenic, which do not have a medical cause, and are associated with primary or secondary psychological problems, and as of physiological origin. The non-epileptic events are manifested by paroxysmal or repetitive behaviors that might be confused with epileptic seizures. The diagnosis is very important in order to avoid unnecessary tests and iatrogenic therapies. This study will present clinical cases and review of the main non-epileptic physiological events (sleep disorders, movement disorders, hypoxic-ischemic phenomena) and psychogenic events (somatoform disorders, fictitious disorders and anxiety disorder).

Keywords: adolescents; children; epilepsy; non-epileptic disorders; pseudoseizures.