Effect of discothèque environment on epileptic children

Abstract

A free-field study of 22 epileptic children, selected on the basis of past electroencephalographic abnormality, identified a group who exhibited a significant increase in epileptiform discharge rate on electroencephalography in a discotheque environment (p <0.05). Laboratory investigations showed that these children were activated by a wide range of stimuli, including intermittent photic stimulation and exercise. The response to exercise was a good predictor of a child's electroencephalographic response in a discotheque. The findings suggest that most epileptic children are not particularly vulnerable in a discotheque environment. © 1981, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.