What is the life expectancy of a child with West syndrome?

Life expectancy for West syndrome is variable. About five in every 100 infants and children with West syndrome do not survive beyond five years of age. A study of 214 Finnish children over 25 years of age showed about 61\% dying at or before age 10 years.

Can a baby with infantile spasms live a normal life?

An etiologic diagnosis is very important because it can lead to initiation of a specific therapy that may markedly improve the long-term developmental outcome. In fact, some children with infantile spasms may ultimately lead normal lives, but only if they are diagnosed and treated correctly.

When do Infantile seizures start?

Most infants with infantile spasms develop a pattern of movements called spasms, sometimes also referred to as epileptic spasms. The most common age for these spasms to begin is between 3 and 6 months of age. They can begin earlier than 3 months and sometimes begin after 12 months of age.

Can infantile spasms cause death?

Infantile spasms is a complex and rare disorder that can have very serious consequences. It can lead to death in some babies, and cause intellectual disabilities and developmental problems in others. Even once the seizures are gone, the damaging brain effects can remain.

What does West syndrome look like?

West syndrome is a constellation of symptoms characterized by epileptic/infantile spasms, abnormal brain wave patterns called hypsarrhythmia and intellectual disability.

What is the difference between West syndrome and infantile spasms?

(See Presentation and Workup.) West syndrome is an age-dependent expression of a damaged brain, and most patients with infantile spasms have some degree of developmental delay. The term infantile spasm has been used to describe the seizure type, the epilepsy syndrome, or both.

Do infantile spasms cause mental retardation?

Infantile spasms (IS), i.e., West syndrome, as an epileptic encephalopathy, represents one of the major causes of acquired mental retardation in early childhood (Roger and Dulac, 1994).

Can infantile spasms cause autism?

A new study found that nearly half of babies who suffer from infantile spasms are not accurately diagnosed for more than a month and this delay can increase the risk of intellectual disability, autism, lifelong epilepsy, and death.

Do babies with infantile spasms sleep more?

It is common for babies who have infantile spasms to become irritable and to go off their feeds. Their sleep pattern also changes in that they may sleep more during the day and less during the night.

What do Infantile seizures look like?

Febrile seizures: The infant’s limbs may either stiffen or twitch and jerk, and their eyes may roll. These seizures are the most common type of infant seizures and are usually caused by a fever above 102 degrees. For an example of how a febrile seizure might look, click here.

What is LGS syndrome?

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a type of epilepsy. Patients with LGS experience many different types of seizures including: Tonic – stiffening of the body. Atonic – temporary loss of muscle tone and consciousness, causing the patient to fall.

What is Doose Syndrome?

Myoclonic atonic epilepsy (MAE) is also known as Doose syndrome. MAE affects boys more than girls and starts in early childhood with the first seizure usually occurring between 2 to 6 years of age. Development prior to seizure onset is usually normal. With frequent seizures, development slows and may regress.