Neonatal seizures: an overview.

Seizures in the newborn are different from those occurring in older children and adults. Health care professionals may find it difficult to recognize neonatal seizures because of their sometimes subtle manifestations. Convulsive behavior has many etiologies; some are associated with a favorable and some with a poor prognosis. Treatment protocol is controversial because both the seizures themselves and the drugs used to treat them may damage the immature brain. The high mortality and morbidity rates of infants who experience seizures make it imperative that the neonatal seizure be recognized, its etiology diagnosed, and treatment begun promptly.