Question
A neighbor’s aunt just had a son, and everyone was happy, but the child’s face turned pale, the muscles spasmed, and sometimes it looked like he was fainting. After examination, it was diagnosed as benign infantile spasms.
Answer
Benign infantile spasms are a rare condition that typically affects children between 1 and 2 years of age and may be associated with a family history of seizures or epilepsy. Symptoms include generalized muscle spasms, and electroencephalograms (EEGs) usually show bilateral synchronous sharp-slow waves or multiple sharp-slow wave complexes. The prognosis for this condition is generally good.