Most children with epilepsy develop the
condition in their first year of life. However,
a wide variety of seizure types and syndromes
are seen, and their later development differs.
Some children develop slowly, continuing
to have seizures, and experience learning
difficulties in later childhood; whilst
others have normal development and can expect
good seizure control. A better understanding
of the different types of epilepsies in
this age group would allow doctors to better
predict the progress of the condition form
the outset, as well as improve the care
for patients and families. Children most
at risk could be recognised early and evaluated
promptly for the most effective medical
or surgical treatments available.
Drs Helen Cross and Christin Eltze,
of the Wolfson Centre in London, have been
awarded £54,352 to carry out
a 12-month study of “Epilepsy in
infancy: spectrum of aetiologies, natural
history and outcome predictors”.
They will look at all children in part of
North London, aged less than two years,
who go to a doctor because they have recurrent
seizures. The researchers will evaluate
the types of epilepsy seen and their underlying
causes. They will also examine the relationship
between the age of the child when their
seizures start, the amount and type of electrical
activity in the brain (as seen in EEG scans),
other features on brain scans and the development
of language, cognition and social skills.
This grant was made by the Epilepsy Research
Foundation, now Epilepsy Research UK.
Additional donations to this project totalling
£47,616 were made by the Foyle Foundation
and the Baily Thomas Charitable Trust in
2007.
