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West Syndrome
Important
It is possible that the main title of the report West Syndrome
is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find
the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.
Synonyms
- Generalized Flexion Epilepsy
- Infantile Myoclonic Encephalopathy
- Jackknife Convulsion
- Massive Myoclonia
- Salaam Spasms
- Infantile Spasms
- hypsarrhythmia
- mental retardation
- epilepsy syndrome
- X-linked infantile spasms
- ISSX
- X-linked infantile spasm syndrome
- IS
- epileptic spasms
Disorder Subdivisions
- None
General Discussion
West syndrome is a type of epilepsy characterized by spasms, abnormal brain wave patterns called hypsarrhythmia and sometimes mental retardation. The spasms that occur may range from violent jackknife or "salaam" movements where the whole body bends in half, or they may be no more than a mild twitching of the shoulder or eye changes. These spasms usually begin in the early months after birth and can sometimes be helped with medication. There are many different causes of West syndrome and if a specific cause can be identified, a diagnosis of symptomatic West syndrome can be made. If a cause cannot be determined, a diagnosis of cryptogenic West syndrome is made.
Resources
Epilepsy Foundation
4351 Garden City Drive
Landover, MD 20785
Tel: (301)459-3700
Fax: (301)577-2684
Tel: (800)332-1000
TDD: (800)332-2070
Email: postmaster@efa.org
Internet: http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
31 Center Drive
8A07
Bethesda, MD 20892-2540
Tel: (301)496-5751
Fax: (301)402-2186
Tel: (800)352-9424
Email: braininfo@ninds.nih.gov
Internet: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
For a Complete Report:
This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html
The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.
It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.
This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.
For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org
Last Updated: 2/12/2008
Copyright 1993, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2008 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
WebMD Medical Reference from the National Organization of Rare Disorders
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It’s natural to call the doctor if you think your child is sick. But do you really need to call every time? Not every sniffle is as serious as you may think.
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