Transient oromotor deficits in children with benign childhood epilepsy with central temporal spikes

PURPOSE: To describe transient oromotor deficits in benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS), an idiopathic age-specific epileptic syndrome with a benign course. METHODS: Five children with BCECTS and intermittent dysarthria and drooling not in the context of typical clinical seizures are presented. RESULTS: The periods of oromotor deficits correlated with increased seizure frequency in all children. Concomitant EEGs that were recorded during periods of dysarthria in four of the children revealed focal electrographic seizures. The reported children did not differ from other patients with BCECTS in any other respect. CONCLUSIONS: Transient oromotor dysfunction is a rare ictal phenomenon that occurs in children with BCECTS with no other unique clinical features.