Benign infantile familial convulsions.

Five infants, three girls and two boys, first had convulsions between the ages of 4 and 6 months. Although the aetiology of the attacks was unknown, all the infants had a family history of similar convulsions occurring at the same age and having a benign outcome. The attacks, which always occurred in a cluster, were promptly controlled, in four cases with phenobarbital and in one case with valproate. Seizures were partial with secondary generalization and were characterized by head and eye deviation (not always the same side in each attack) diffuse hypertonia and then bilateral limb jerks. The interictal EEG was normal. The ictal EEG showed diffuse discharge with onset in the central-occipital region. Laboratory, radiological and neurological findings were normal. A history in at least one paternal relative (the father in four cases) of similar seizures, occurring at the same age suggested a genetic predisposition. No seizures or EEG anomalies were observed during the follow up.