management of benign rolandic epilepsy of childhood
Last edited 12/2020 and last reviewed 12/2020
Sometimes this condition needs no treatment, especially if the seizures are simple partial in type, occur only at night and are infrequent.
Families should be counseled about relation to sleep deprivation, good sleep hygiene, and implications for sleepovers.
Neurodevelopmental screen is essential to detect possible speech and language problems, dyslexia or attentional impairment; further assessment by psychologist or speech therapist may be required.
Treatment practice varies - antiepileptic drugs are sometimes not prescribed when seizures are few, exclusively nocturnal and do not involve loss of consciousness. Where drug treatment is indicated, carbamazepine, sodium valproate or levetiracetam may be effective and the median period of active seizures is three years.
Rescue medication (buccal Midazolam) is indicated if generalized seizures have occurred.
Download free parental guide from https://childhoodepilepsy.org.
Contributor:
- Professor Deb K Pal PhD MRCP
- Professor of Paediatric Epilepsy
- Honorary Consultant Paediatric Neurologist, Variety Club and Evelina Children's Hospitals