What is West Syndrome?

West syndrome is a rare disorder that causes epilepsy in infants. The syndrome is also known as generalized epilepsy of flexion, infantile encephalopathy and infantile convulsions. Symptoms of epilepsy are manifested between three and twelve months after birth in ninety percent of children who develop West syndrome. Approximately two percent of children with epilepsy have this form of condition. The total prevalence rate is two per 10,000 children up to ten. These abnormal interactions usually result from a brain defect or damage to which can occur prenatally during or after birth. Another factor is that the central nervous system has not yet remained in newborns and infants; This is considered important in the development of the syndrome.

The most common symptoms of the disorder are epilepsy and convulsions. West syndrome does not have a specific spectrum of symptoms that can also be accompanied by PPEAR, but a delay in physical and mental development. However, this is not caused by the syndrome itself, but it is usually a reflection of the brain injurythat causes symptoms of epilepsy.

West syndrome treatment is performed to improve the quality of life because it is usually not possible to provide complete medicine. Treatment includes a combination of several different drugs that may include prednisone, benzodiazepines and vitamin B-6. The aim of the treatment is to reduce the frequency of seizures while maintaining the lowest number of drugs to minimize adverse side effects.

In addition to drugs, there are other possible treatment of syndrome. The ketogenic diet in which carbohydrate intake is reduced in favor of increased fat and protein intake is effective for some people with epileptic disorders. The last treatment of the possibilities is achirurgery called focal cortical resection in which the brain area is removed where seizures are formed. Focal cortical resection is only performed when other treatment has failed and only when it is possible to remove brain tissues without damaging other importantCH areas of the brain.

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West Syndrome prognosis is considered only on an individual basis. There is no general prognosis with a number of different causes and possible results. As statistically, approximately fifty percent of children who develop syndrome can be with drugs without seizures. Approximately five percent of children die before reaching the age of five years due to a brain injury causing syndrome or side effects of treatment.