BECTS (BENIGN EPILEPSY OF CHILDHOOD WITH CENTROTEMPORAL SPIKES) – CLINICAL PROFILE, PROBLEMS IN SCHOLASTIC PERFORMANCE AND ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Dr.Dileesh K S; Dr.Issac Mathai

Volume : VI, Issue : XI, November - 2017

BECTS (BENIGN EPILEPSY OF CHILDHOOD WITH CENTROTEMPORAL SPIKES) – CLINICAL PROFILE, PROBLEMS IN SCHOLASTIC PERFORMANCE AND ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Dr. Dileesh K S, Dr. Issac Mathai

Abstract :

Benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) is the most common and most characteristic form of idiopathic focal epilepsy. There is only scant data available from India on BECTS and on its impact on the cognitive and academic functions in the affected children.

Methodology

The cases which satisfied the inclusion criteria were selected for the study .They were evaluated according to a standard protocol. Problems in scholastic performance was considered if there were failures in the examinations or if the child was repeatedly getting low grades in the examinations. Detailed neuropsychological evaluation was done in all.

Results

A total of 73 children were included in the study. Male to female ratio was 41:32 (1.3). The age of onset of seizures ranged from 5.5 – 12 years. Majority of children 35(48%) had bilateral centrotemporal discharges 45 (61%) children had parentally complained problems in scholastic performance, 44 children had neuropsychological impairment under any one domain or in combination.

Conclusion

The salient observation in this study was that more than half (60%) of the children with BECTS had neuropsychological impairment with normal intelligence. Most of them (91%) had problems in scholastic performance showing a statistically significant association with neuropsychological impairment