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The Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders vol 1 - part 8

Về đến chẩn đoán bệnh động kinh là tương đối đơn giản: khi người ta bị hai hoặc nhiều cơn co giật, họ sẽ được coi là có động kinh. Tuy nhiên, chẩn đoán hội chứng động kinh cụ thể là phức tạp hơn nhiều. | myoclonic epilepsy. As the genetics of the epilepsies become better understood the classification scheme will evolve. With epilepsy symptoms vary considerably depending on the type. The common link among the epilepsies is of course seizures. The different epilepsies can sometimes be associated with more than one seizure type. This is the case with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Diagnosis Arriving at a diagnosis of epilepsy is relatively straightforward when people suffer two or more seizures they would be considered to have epilepsy. However diagnosing the specific epilepsy syndrome is much more complex. The first step in the evaluation process is to obtain a very detailed history of the illness not only from the patient but from the family as well. Since seizures can impair consciousness the patient may not be able to recall the specifics of the attacks. In these cases family or friends that have witnessed the episodes can fill in the gaps about the particulars of the seizure. The description of the behaviors during a seizure can go a long way to categorizing the type of seizure and help with the overall diagnosis. Moreover in the initial visit with the physician the entire history of the patient is obtained. In a child this would include birth history complications if any maternal history and developmental milestones. At any age so-called co-morbidities other medical problems are considered. Medications that have been taken or currently being prescribed are documented. A complete physical examination is performed especially a neurological exam. Because seizures are an episodic disorder abnormal neurological findings may not be present. Frequently people with epilepsy have a normal exam. However in some there can be abnormal findings that can provide clues to the underlying cause of epilepsy. For example if someone has had a stroke that subsequently caused seizures then the neurological exam can be expected to reveal a focal neurological deficit such as weakness or .