Pseudostatus epilepticus in childhood.

Pseudostatus epilepticus in childhood has not been well reported in the literature. We describe the clinical presentation and management of a 9-year-old child with well-controlled epilepsy who presented in a prolonged period of pseudoseizures. Intensive care management over a number of weeks with multiple high-dose antiepileptic drugs, anesthesia, and ventilation at a tertiary care pediatric center was performed before the diagnosis of pseudostatus epilepticus was made. Initiation of family counseling and behavior therapy after diagnosis of the nonepileptic nature of the protracted paroxysmal events with video telemetry in our pediatric epilepsy unit was followed by remission. The patient reported herein illustrates the risks of iatrogenic morbidity that may result from a delay in the diagnosis of pseudoseizures and pseudostatus epilepticus in childhood.