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Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome Reviewed 11-06-2001 Get Web page suited for printing Email this to a friend or colleague Studies with patients Table of Contents (click to jump to sections) What is Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome?Is there any treatment? What is the prognosis? What research is being done? Organizations What is Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome? Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is a severe form of epilepsy (a seizure disorder). It usually develops in children between 1 and 8 years old and is characterized by several types of seizures, developmental delay, and behavioral disturbances such as poor social skills and attention-seeking behavior. Most children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome experience some degree of impaired intellectual functioning or information processing. The disorder may be caused by brain injury, severe brain infections, genetic brain diseases, or developmental malformations of the brain. In some cases, no cause can be found. Seizure types, which vary among patients, include tonic (stiffening of the body, upward deviation of the eyes, dilation of the pupils, and altered respiratory patterns), atonic (brief loss of muscle tone and consciousness, causing abrupt falls), atypical absence (staring spells), and myoclonic (sudden muscle jerks). There may be periods of frequent seizures mixed with brief, relatively seizure-free periods. Is there any treatment? What is the prognosis? What research is being done? Epilepsy Foundation
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