Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures in Adolescence: Case Report

Date of submission: 29-10-2020 | Date of acceptance: 12-04-2021 | Published: 03-10-2020

Abstract

Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures are a functional neurological disorder characterized by time-limited disturbances of sensory-motor control accompanied by an alteration in consciousness, resembling epileptic seizures but with no ictal activity on electroencephalogram. Because psychogenic non-epileptic seizures mimic epileptic seizures, children and adolescents suffering from it are usually seen by neurologists.

Early diagnosis and intervention with a multidisciplinary approach, including neurology and pedopsychiatry, are critical to limit unnecessary medical investigations, needless antiepileptic drugs, approach psychiatric comorbidities and improve treatment adherence and prognosis. 

We report the case of a 12-year-old female with several admissions to a neuropediatric inpatient unit with a diagnosis of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, as a platform to discuss neurologic and psychiatric assessments, delivery of diagnoses, and planning of outpatient management of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures in children.