A general hospital population of childhood epilepsy

In a general hospital population of 74,000 children under the age of 16 years in southern Stockholm, 79 children were started on antiepileptic drugs due to epilepsy during the 2 year period 1990-92. The mean annual incidence of childhood epilepsy in this area was 53 per 100,000 children younger than 16 years. Neurological impairments were identified in 35% of the children. The epilepsy diagnoses were set according to the International Classification System proposed by the International League Against Epilepsy. Partial seizures were seen in 52% of the children. The syndrome BECT was identified in 11%. The epilepsy was symptomatic in 30%, and therapy-resistant in 23%.