A Case of a Coincidence of Rolandic and Childhood Absence Epilepsy

Song, Yong Hun; Jun, Yoon Suk; Choi, Sang Rhim; Lee, Su Young; Jeong, Dae Chul; Kang, Jin Han; Chung, Seung Yun

Abstract

Rolandic epilepsy(or benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes) and childhood absence epilepsy are idiopathic epilepsies and are the most common forms of age-related epilepsies, occurring in previously neurologically normal children. Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes is the most common partial childhood epilepsy, beginning between 2 and 13 years of age and characterized by typical EEG focal discharges and a self- limited course with recovery in or before puberty. Childhood absence epilepsy is one of generalized epilepsies with bilateral synchronous and symmetrical spike-wave paroxysms of 3 Hz and it has a good prognosis under a correct antiepilepsy treatment. These two epilepsies share some common features : similar age at onset, overall good prognosis and marked hereditary predisposition. A coincidence of these two epilepsies in a patient is very rare. We experienced a case of a coincidence of rolandic and childhood absence epilepsy in a 6 year-old female. The presence of an absence focus in rolandic epilepy, however, makes the coincidence of these entirely distinct phenomena, even if very rare, not excluded. We present the case with a review of related literature.