Transition issues for benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes, nonlesional focal epilepsy in otherwise normal children, childhood absence epilepsy, and juvenile myoclonic epilepsy

Abstract

This chapter covers the syndromes of benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS), nonlesional focal epilepsy in otherwise normal children (NLFN), and the genetic generalized epilepsies. BECTS is an epilepsy syndrome that always enters terminal remission before the general age of a planned transition of adolescents. This is also the case for the majority (65%) of those with childhood absence epilepsy (CAE). Approximately 15% of patients with CAE who initially remit during their childhood years later develop juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) as teenagers. They will have many issues for continuing medical care and transition, because their seizure disorder generally persists into adulthood. A significant minority of NLFN (~35%) and most patients with JME continue to have active epilepsy into adulthood. In addition, CAE, JME, and NLFN patients are at risk of a number of significant adverse social outcomes that require ongoing advice and counseling.

Keywords: Adolescence; Adulthood; Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes; Childhood absence epilepsy; Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy; Nonlesional focal epilepsy; Transition.