Neonatal Seizure

Excerpt

Neonatal seizures are a commonly encountered neurologic condition in neonates. They are defined as the occurrence of sudden, paroxysmal, abnormal alteration of electrographic activity at any point from birth to the end of the neonatal period. During this period, the neonatal brain is developmentally immature. Thus, neonatal seizures have unique pathophysiology and electrographic findings resulting in clinical manifestations that can be different (and more difficult to identify) when compared to older age groups.

When a patient with neonatal seizures is encountered, it may be the first clinical sign of a serious neurologic disorder. Thus, rapid recognition and evaluation are required to identify and treat the underlying etiology, prevent further brain injury, and extinguish the seizure activity. The following activity will provide an overview of the etiologies, clinical features, evaluation, and approach to the management of a patient with neonatal seizures.