For children who do require treatment for benign occipital epilepsy, anti-epileptic drugs may be prescribed. The Panayiotopoulos type is relatively benign and often doesn’t require treatment. EEGs are typically used to identify seizures, but researchers can also use this same technology to investigate brain functions and how they relate to human cognition and behavior. Your hair must be thoroughly clean, but most. Electroencephalogram (EEG) Electroencephalography (EEG) is a method of tracking neural activity in the brain via placement of electrodes on the scalp. The prognosis for benign occipital epilepsy is excellent, and most children (60 percent) outgrow the seizures after two to four years in the Gastaut type. Sometimes, a person with epilepsy will only display abnormal brain waves during a seizure. An EEG will show occipital spikes with both the eyes open and closed. Activity originates from the part of the brain called the occipital region (located in the back of the head). This type of epilepsy is characterized by focal seizures, meaning abnormal electrical brain activity occurs on only one side of the brain. People with lesions of their brain, which can result from tumors or stroke, may have unusually slow EEG waves, depending on the size and the location of the lesion. Benign Occipital Epilepsy Diagnosisĭiagnosis involves a visit with an epilepsy doctor, a patient history, neurological exam, and other clinical tests, as well as neurodiagnostic testing such as EEG and MRI. When epilepsy is present, seizure activity will appear as rapid spiking waves on the EEG. Headaches are common before, during, or after the seizures. Children may experience visual hallucinations with the seizure. Gastaut type begins between the ages of 3 and 16 years and has a peak onset between ages 7 and 9. Triggers may include turning off lights, going from lighted areas to dark ones, or from dark areas to light ones.
![eeg for seizures eeg for seizures](https://www.j-epilepsy.org/upload/thumbnails/er-2-1-16-5f1.gif)
EEG findings contribute to the multi-axial diagnosis of epilepsy, in terms of whether the seizure disorder is focal or generalised, idiopathic or symptomatic, or part of a specific. Episodes usually last less than 10 minutes and may include vomiting and gazing toward one side, and frequently evolve to rhythmic muscle contractions on one or both sides of the body. EEG helps determine seizure type and epilepsy syndrome in patients with epilepsy, and thereby choice of antiepileptic medication and prediction of prognosis. Seizures are infrequent and typically occur at night, shortly after the child falls asleep. Panayiotopoulos type begins between 15 months and 17 years. This type of epilepsy can be grouped into two categories, depending on the age of the child when seizures begin. There is a somewhat higher incidence in girls than in boys. Benign occipital epilepsy, also known as benign focal epilepsy with occipital paroxysms, is a hereditary type of epilepsy that represents about 3 percent of all childhood epilepsy cases.