Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Differential diagnosis of staring spells in children: a video-EEG study.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Carmant, L; Kramer, U; Holmes, GL; Mikati, MA; Riviello, JJ; Helmers, SL
Published in: Pediatr Neurol
April 1996

Staring is frequently a nonepileptic manifestation in children. To differentiate epileptic versus nonepileptic staring, we reviewed clinical and video-EEG findings in 143 patients, aged 5 months to 43 years, monitored for staring episodes. In 79 patients staring was of epileptic origin; 46 had partial seizures and 33 atypical absence. Thirty-five had behavioral staring, 8 psychogenic seizures, 1 a migraine equivalent, and in 20 no staring spells were recorded. In all patients with epileptic staring, epilepsy was suspected clinically. Only 22 of the admissions for behavioral staring and 3 for pseudoseizures were to exclude a possible nonepileptic phenomenon. Review of their clinical histories revealed that certain findings strongly support a nonepileptic origin. In conclusion, a careful clinical history will differentiate between epileptic and nonepileptic staring episodes in most patients. Video-monitoring is helpful to adjust treatment or to exclude nonepileptic events in patients with refractory staring spells.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Pediatr Neurol

DOI

ISSN

0887-8994

Publication Date

April 1996

Volume

14

Issue

3

Start / End Page

199 / 202

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Television
  • Seizures
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Monitoring, Physiologic
  • Migraine Disorders
  • Infant
  • Humans
  • Fixation, Ocular
  • Epilepsy
  • Electroencephalography
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Carmant, L., Kramer, U., Holmes, G. L., Mikati, M. A., Riviello, J. J., & Helmers, S. L. (1996). Differential diagnosis of staring spells in children: a video-EEG study. Pediatr Neurol, 14(3), 199–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/0887-8994(96)00080-x
Carmant, L., U. Kramer, G. L. Holmes, M. A. Mikati, J. J. Riviello, and S. L. Helmers. “Differential diagnosis of staring spells in children: a video-EEG study.Pediatr Neurol 14, no. 3 (April 1996): 199–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/0887-8994(96)00080-x.
Carmant L, Kramer U, Holmes GL, Mikati MA, Riviello JJ, Helmers SL. Differential diagnosis of staring spells in children: a video-EEG study. Pediatr Neurol. 1996 Apr;14(3):199–202.
Carmant, L., et al. “Differential diagnosis of staring spells in children: a video-EEG study.Pediatr Neurol, vol. 14, no. 3, Apr. 1996, pp. 199–202. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/0887-8994(96)00080-x.
Carmant L, Kramer U, Holmes GL, Mikati MA, Riviello JJ, Helmers SL. Differential diagnosis of staring spells in children: a video-EEG study. Pediatr Neurol. 1996 Apr;14(3):199–202.
Journal cover image

Published In

Pediatr Neurol

DOI

ISSN

0887-8994

Publication Date

April 1996

Volume

14

Issue

3

Start / End Page

199 / 202

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Television
  • Seizures
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Monitoring, Physiologic
  • Migraine Disorders
  • Infant
  • Humans
  • Fixation, Ocular
  • Epilepsy
  • Electroencephalography