Prenatal and Neonatal Seizure Disorders

Abstract

For an infant to convulse before birth is extremely rare, but about 0.2 percent of newborns in maternity hospitals experience seizures in the first few days of life. As a rule, the earlier the seizure, the worse is the prognosis. In certain situations, such as when metabolic disorders, narcotic withdrawal or infections induce seizures, prompt therapy can ward off the complications—mental retardation, spastic paralysis, and other physical handicaps.