[Neonatal epileptic encephalopathy with suppression bursts (author's transl)]. / Encephalopathie epileptique neo-natale a bouffees periodiques.

In a neonate who had seizures in the second day of life, the EEG showed - during waking and sleep alike - periodic bursts of asymmetrical high voltage on a low amplitude background tracing. From the third week head jerks occurred, followed by repetitive spasms and then adversive tonic seizures. A severe psychomotor retardation was noted. A CT examination demonstrated a right hemispheric hypertrophy. The pathological examination revealed astrocytic gliosis of the cortex associated with a decrease in the oxidative enzyme activity of neurons, and characterized electron microscopically, by the presence of spheroid bodies in the neuropile. This case was different from those published by Aicardi and Goutières (encéphalopathie myoclonique néo-natale) because there was no erratic myoclonus. It is more similar to the 'early infantile epileptic encephalopathy with suppression bursts' described by Ohtahara. This electro-clinical condition should be characterized as the earliest type of secondary generalized epilepsy.

[The heart diseases of children born to alcoholic mothers]. / Les cardiopathies des enfants nés de mère alcoolique.

The authors present their experience of heart disease in children with congenital abnormalities of alcoholic origin, of which they have seen 50 cases in 3 years. This syndrome, which was first described by Lemoine in 1968, appears to be fairly common. It shows the teratogenic properties of alcohol. It is characterised by facial abnormalities which are easy to recognise, gross failure to gain in height and weight, psychomotor retardation of varying severity and several other malformations. From amongst these, cardiac malformations are the most commonly encountered. These are usually in the form of septal defects (atrial and ventricular septal defects).