Epilepsy in Children with Down Syndrome: An Observational Study in a District Epilepsy Centre in South of London

Objectives: To assess the presence and type of epilepsy in children with Down syndrome attending a child development centre in the south of London, U.K. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the case notes of 225 patients with Down syndrome (121 males and 104 females) at Child Development Centre, London, between 2006 and 2020. Follow-up period was 13.6 years, with examinations once per year. Results: In our cohort of 225 patients with Down syndrome, only two patient presented with epilepsy (prevalence 0.08%) and they had Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome. Response to treatment was favourable. Only one patient was misdiagnosed with epilepsy. Conclusion: Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) was the most common epilepsy syndrome in patients with Down syndrome. Electroclinical features of IESS resemble those of idiopathic West syndrome, with a favorable response to treatment. Prospective studies that provide accurate estimates of the lifetime prevalence of epilepsy in patients with Down syndrome are needed.