Seizures, Syncope, or Breath-Holding Presenting to the Pediatric Neurologist—When Is the Etiology a Life-Threatening Arrhythmia?

Using case reports from their own experience and in the literature the authors illustrate the difficulty in distinguishing non-life threatening causes, including epilepsy, from a serious cardiac arrythmia when evaluating children with paroxysmal events. Focusing on long QT syndrome, they suggest an approach for the pediatric neurologist that utilizes the electrocardiogram recorded during the electroencephalogram—direct measurement of the corrected QT interval. This approach requires knowledge of the distribution of the corrected QT interval in long QT syndrome.

Keywords:  Long QT syndrome , epilepsy , children , electroencephalogram , sudden death