Syndromes are considered to be either benign or progressive. These terms are usually applied to ultimate outcome of intellectual function and survival. Although some syndromic seizures are benign in their impact upon intellectual function, lifelong treatment with antiepileptic drugs may be required. Five common epilepsy syndromes are described below. This common syndrome is characterized by hemifacial motor seizures that are brief, partial, usually nocturnal, and occasionally generalized.
Patients also have somatosensory symptoms such as facial twitching and tongue numbness.
These patients develop normally, with no focal changes present on brain contrast studies. The EEG shows sleep activation of high-voltage centrotemporal spikes with a blunt configuration and a characteristic slow wave. Complete remission is usual in more than 90 percent of patients by the midteenage years. The prevalence of childhood absence epilepsy is estimated to be two to eight percent. Only 30 percent of patients with absence have complete resolution without antiepileptic medication if they experience generalized tonic-clonic seizures.