Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE)
Written and reviewed by Dr Ibrahim Imam, Consultant Neurologist. Last reviewed .
Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE). This is possibly a channelopathy. Fully referenced neurology checklist.
Epidemiology
- This is possibly a channelopathy
- The onset age is before 10 years: it is usually between 3-8 years
- The onset is < 4 years in subjects with glucose transporter type 1 deficiency
- Females are at a higher risk
- There is a positive family history in 16-45% of cases
- There is a history of febrile seizures in about 30% (FS+)
Clinical features of absences
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Electroencephalography (EEG)
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Treatment
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Contraindicated medications
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References
- Alves-Leon SV, Cardoso MF, Pereira VC, Meira ID. Clinical and electroencephalographic characteristics of a cohort of patients with epilepsy and absence seizures. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2009; 67:986-994.
- Panayiotopoulos CP. Typical absence seizures and their treatment. Arch Dis Child 1999; 81:351-355.
- Crunelli V, Leresche N. Childhood absence epilepsy: genes, channels, neurons and networks. Nat Rev Neurosci 2002; 3:371-382.
- Tenney JR, Glauser TA. The current state of absence epilepsy: can we have your attention? Epilepsy Curr 2013; 13:135-140.
