Question

What are the symptoms of neonatal epilepsy?

Answer

Clinically, the symptoms of neonatal epilepsy are varied. Some patients may suddenly become rigid during movement, with fixed eyes and a blank expression, a state that may last for several minutes to several hours. Additionally, some infants’ epilepsy symptoms may manifest primarily as oromotor actions or gastrointestinal symptoms, such as unconscious chewing, drooling, and vomiting. In some cases, abdominal pain, vomiting, and loss of consciousness may occur, followed by entering a sleep state. During recurrence, the main symptoms may include automatisms, which are purposeless movements or meaningless speech or behavior under unconsciousness, such as running, hitting, talking nonsensically, smiling, or laughing.