Profile of childhood epilepsy in Nigeria

Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder, affecting individuals in all age groups. It is estimated that there are about 50 million people with epilepsy worldwide, of which about two-thirds are children and the greatest burden is found in the developing world. There is little data on the burden or pattern of epilepsy in the developing countries, particularly in children living in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was carried out to determine the pattern, predisposing factors and outcome of childhood epilepsy among children seen at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. All new cases of epilepsy seen consecutively over a period of 5 years in the Pediatric Neurology clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria were studied. Diagnosis of epilepsy was based on reliable eyewitness account and EEG findings. Five hundred and forty children, 321 males and 219 females were studied. Their ages ranged from 3 to 184 months with a mean age of 74.8 +/- 47.9 months and median of 71.5 months. One third of the children had the first afebrile seizure in the first year of life. Generalized epilepsy, found in 67.8% of cases was the predominant form of epilepsy in the study. Two hundred and fifteen (39.8%) children had symptomatic epilepsy, with intracranial infections and perinatal asphyxia as the leading underlying causes. By the end of the first year, up to three quarters of the children had defaulted from follow up. Epilepsy remains a common childhood neurological disorder in Nigeria, with a large burden of symptomatic epilepsy.