Epilepsy Syndromes
What is a Syndrome?
There are many different types of epilepsy classifications. Nowadays, most people are given a specific diagnosis or name for their epilepsy, rather than just to told that ‘you have epilepsy’. Some epilepsy disorders are classified as syndromes. A seizure syndrome is a type of epilepsy that depends upon:
- Family history
- Age of onset of the condition
- Seizure type(s)
- Cause, and other underlying diseases/conditions
- Rate of progression or development over time
- Presence or absence of neurologic abnormalities
- EEG findings
- Structural and functional neuroimaging findings (such as CT, MRI, PET)
- Response to medication
A diagnosis of a particular epilepsy syndrome is useful in deciding the possible treatment options, what course of the condition may take, and the possible genetic risk of passing it on to offspring.
For detailed information on syndromes contact Epilepsy Action Australia on 1300 37 45 37 or epilepsy@epilepsy.org.au.
Click Here to read an Epilepsy 360 Magazine Special report: Not Your Everyday Epilepsy
