Benign rolandic epilepsy
Introduction:
Benign rolandic epilepsy, also known as benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS), is an epilepsy syndrome affecting children, characterized by twitching, numbness, or tingling of the child’s face or tongue, and may interfere with speech and cause drooling.
Features:
Involves twitching, numbness, or tingling of the child’s face or tongue (called a focal or partial seizure).
Seizures last no more than 2 minutes.
Child remains fully conscious.
The syndrome represents about 15% of all epilepsies in children.
Because the seizures may be infrequent and usually occur at night, many children do not take medication.
In almost every case, seizures stop on their own by age 15.
Treatment:
The drug of choice for benign rolandic epilepsy: Carbamazepine
Alternative agents include gabapentin, valproate, phenytoin or levetiracetam.
Probable MCQ
Which one of the following is the drug of choice for benign rolandic epilepsy?
a. Gabapentin
c. Phenytoin
b. Barbiturates
d. Sodium valporate
Ans:’a’
