The risk of recurrence of nonfebrile seizures in children

Hirtz, Deborah G. MD
Ellenberg, Jonas H. PhD
Nelson, Karin B. MD

From the Developmental Neurology Branch (Drs. Hirtz and Nelson) and Office of Biometry and Field Studies (Dr. Ellenberg), National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda. MD.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Hirtz, Room 8C-02, Federal Building, Bethesda, MD 20205.

The Collaborative Study of Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Other Neurological and Sensory Disorders of Infancy and Childhood is supported by the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke (NINCDS).

Presented in part at the 35th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, San Diego. California, April 1983.

Accepted for publication September 21, 1983.

Neurology 34(5):p 637-641, May 1984.

Article abstract

In a prospective study, the risk of recurrence after a first postneonatal nonfebrile seizure was 61% by age 7 years. The risk of recurrence for nonsymptomatic seizures was considerably higher than for seizures attributed to immediate precipitating factors, Focal motor seizures were more likely than generalized motor seizures to recur. Children who had prior neonatal seizures were at greater risk for nonfebrile recurrence than children with no prior seizure. Family history and neurodevelopmental status were not significantly related to recurrence risk. Almost 90% of recurrences took place within 1 year, and 96% within 2 years.