Neonatal Seizure: A Clinical Riddle for the Physician

BIDYUT KHUNTDAR, Dr Sumon Mondal

BIDYUT KHUNTDAR, Dr Sumon Mondal ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRICS, MIDNAPORE MEDICAL COLLEGE,

Keywords: Neonatal Seizure, Etiology, Type, Ultrasound Findings

Abstract

Aim: Neonatal seizures are less likely to be idiopathic. Proper diagnosis of etiology can help in prompt
management. The study was done to diagnose the preventable causes early and develop strategies for the
prevention of neonatal seizures.
Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was done among neonates who developed
seizures before or during the stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), irrespective of gestational age
and birth weight from June 2018 to May 2019.
Results: In the study, 4.95% of the total admitted babies were with seizure out of which 66.2% were term.
Most of the seizures were detected within 24 hours of birth (53.6%) in neonates of primigravida (62%) and
who are delivered normally (74.7%). Present study showed subtle seizures- 45.1%, multifocal clonic seizures
- 39.4%, focal clonic seizures - 8.5% and tonic seizure - 7% of cases (n =71). Birth asphyxia (49.5%)
being the most common cause followed by sepsis (29.5%) and metabolic abnormalities (25.4%). Most of
the patients required only phenobarbitone (80.28%), a few patients required more than one anticonvulsant.
Conclusion: Neonatal seizures have an impact on cognitive, behavioural or epileptic complications later in
life. The commonest cause of neonatal seizures is perinatal asphyxia.

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