Clinical update: childhood convulsive status epilepticus

Abstract

Convulsive status epilepticus is the most common neurological emergency in childhood and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. For research purposes, the condition is defined as a tonic–clonic seizure, or a series of seizures lasting at least 30 min, between which full consciousness is not regained. However, after the initial phase, the seizures can become unilateral clonic and eventually non-convulsive. The 30-min period is too long to wait before starting treatment, and definitions with 5 min and 10 min have been proposed.