Diagnosi differenziale tra epilessia parziale benigna dell'infanzia a semeiologia affettiva e pavor nocturnus: descrizione di un caso clinico

The diagnosis of reccurent nocturnal attacks of fear is often difficult, mainly in children. The differential diagnosis should consider: panic disorder, pavor nocturnus and epileptic seizures with affective symptomatology. This case report describes a chil affected by panic-like attacks during sleep, characterised by sudden awake, cry, screams, lasting 5-15 minutes, with very quick recovery. The morning after the attack the child did not remember the episode. The clinical picture, the family history (a brother was affected by Rolandic epilepsy), the interictal EEG recording (centro-temporal spike waves) and the response to valproic acid treatment suggest diagnosis of partial epilepsy with affective symptomatology. Videotape of seizures was an useful tool to confirm the correct diagnoisi