The first unprovoked, untreated seizure in childhood: a hospital based study of the accuracy of the diagnosis, rate of recurrence, and long term outcome after recurrence. Dutch study of epilepsy in childhood

Abstract

The diagnosis of a first seizure can be made accurately with the help of strict diagnostic criteria. The use of these criteria may have contributed to the rather high risk of recurrence in this series. However, the overall prognosis for a child presenting with a single seizure is excellent, even if treatment with antiepileptic drugs is not immediately instituted.