What are the Symptoms of Ohtahara Syndrome?

What is Ohtahara Syndrome?

A neurological disorder in which seizures occur is known as ohtahara syndrome. The condition usually affects newborns in the first three months of life. The newborns suffering from the condition have epileptic seizures. Infants who have primarily tonic seizures may also experience partial seizures and in rare conditions myoclonic seizures. The metabolic disorders or the structural damage in the brain usually causes the ohtahara syndrome. However, the cause of the disorder in many conditions cannot be determined.

Symptoms of Ohtahara Syndrome

In most infants the disorder leads to significant underdevelopment of part or all cerebral hemispheres. In the EEGs of the infants suffering from Ohtahara syndrome show that there is a characteristic pattern of high voltage spike wave discharge followed by little activity.

Treatment for Ohtahara Syndrome

Antiepileptic drugs that can be used to control seizures but not usually they are effective for this disorder.

Prognosis for Ohtahara Syndrome

There can be a severely progressive course of Ohtahara syndrome. The seizures become more frequent followed by physical and mental retardation. In some cases, the children die in infancy and others who survive remain profoundly handicapped. When the children grow, they progress into other epileptic disorders like West syndrome and Lennox-Gestaut syndrome.

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