The Significance of Frontal Intermittent Rhythmic Delta Activity in Children

Abstract

To determine the correlation between frontal intermittent rhythmic delta activity (FIRDA) and the clinical and radiological correlates in children. Retrospective review of the EEG and imaging studies of 37 children with documented FIRDA. FIRDA was associated with multiple neurological conditions and not necessarily with midline lesions. Patients with abnormal neurological exam had a longer FIRDA duration (average 9.5 seconds) compared to children with no reported abnormal examination (average of 6.5 seconds). FIRDA ranged from 2 to 2.5 Hz (n = 15), 3 Hz (n = 17) and from 1.5 to 3 Hz (n = 5) and there was a significant association between the duration of FIRDA and abnormal laboratory tests (p. < 0.05, Student's T test). FIRDA was not correlated with midline brain lesions in children. FIRDA may be a non specific oscillation of an unhealthy pediatric brain with or without seizures.