Benign covuIsions with acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children

ABSTRACT

Seizures in diarrheic children may be due to several etiologies. However seizures may occur in the absence of an obvious cause which is called benign convulsions with gastroenteritis [BCWG]. The aim of this study is to describe the frequency, clinical characters and outcome of benign seizures with gastroenteritis in children attending Assiut University Children Hospital and its possible relationship to some pathogenic organisms. 62 patients with acute gastroenteritis and convulsions were recruited for the study and 35 children with acute gastroenteritis without convulsions were included as a control group They were 34 male and 28 female. The clinical data and electroencephalogram were recorded. Stool specimens from patients and controls were tested for Shigella spp, E. coil 0157. Stool radioimmunoassay for rotavirus was done. Follow up was done after recovery from seizure for one year in pediatric neurology outpatient clinic. The number of patients presented with seizures was 62 patients [34 boys and 28 girls]. Causes of convulsions could be detected in 29[46.8%] of the cases. in 33 cases [53.2%] of all studied patients no obvious causes for convulsions could be detected so they were considered as having BCWG. They were 11 girls and 22 boys. Rotavirus particles were present in 15 [45.5%] of BCWG cases and these cases had younger age, associated with more frequent motions, watery diarrhea, vomiting, thirst, more frequent seizures, earlier onset of seizures to onset of diarrhea and more frequent focal seizures. None of these patients showed recurrence of afebrile seizures later on and their developmental milestones remained normal during the one year follow up period. Benign convulsions with gastroenteritis are frequently associated with rotavirus infection, usually carry excellent prognosis and no need for prolonged antiepileptic therapy