NICE guideline review: Epilepsies in children, young people and adults NG217.

Abstract

To cite: Jones KEA, Howells R, Mallick AA, et al. Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed Epub ahead of print: [please include Day Month Year]. doi:10.1136/archdischild2022324427 © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. No commercial reuse. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. BACKGROUND Epilepsy is the most common significant longterm neurological condition of childhood. The prevalence in children in the UK is approximately 4 per 1000 children. It affects 1 in 220 children and young people in the UK with on average two children with epilepsy in every primary school and nine in every secondary school. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) defines epilepsy as a ‘condition in which a person is prone to recurrent epileptic seizures’ and epileptic seizure as a ‘transient occurrence of signs and or symptoms as the result of a primary change to the electrical activity (abnormally excessive or synchronous) within the brain’. The International League against Epilepsy is more specific, defining epilepsy as a disease of the brain defined by at least two unprovoked seizures occurring more than 24 hours apart, one unprovoked seizure and a high probability of further seizures or a diagnosis of an epilepsy syndrome.