Abstract
Background: Abnormal electrical activity in the brain causes seizures in children, which result in
temporary changes in behaviour, awareness, and movement of the body.
Objective: This study aimed to identify clinical outcomes of risk factors and complications into
children with seizures.
Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in different hospitals in Iraq between
March 2022 and October 2023, involving 80 children aged 1-14 years who had an acute onset of
seizures. The study excluded patients who were not known epileptic patients, those with known
intracranial pathology, and those with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. Demographic details,
clinical description of the attack, duration, and other symptoms were collected. Data on febrile
convulsions or epilepsy histories and family members affected by seizures were also collected. Our
study also determined complications, risk factors, and quality of life evaluation.Results: The study found that children aged 1-4 years had the highest number of seizures, with males
having the highest percentage at 70%. Comorbidities were also prevalent, with a family history of
seizure at 25%. Medications used were 45%, and nutritional status was normal at 72 cases, while
malnutrition had 8 cases. Common causes of seizures included febrile seizures, malaria, and
meningitis. Medical symptoms included fever, pallor, vomiting, and headache. Diagnostic techniques
used included ultrasound, CT scan, and MRIs. Seizure types included focal and generalized, with
attacks lasting ≤ 15 minutes. Clinical outcomes included mortality rate, intensive care unit admission,
anxiety or depression, developmental delays, and physical injuries. Quality of life evaluations showed
physical, psychological, emotional, social, and daily activity aspects. Risk factors for seizures
included age, sex, family history, seizures, febrile seizures, malaria, meningitis, fever, pallor, types
of seizures, duration of attacks, anxiety or depression, physical injuries, and developmental delays.
Conclusion: Younger children had more seizures compared to older children. The development of
status epilepticus could be independently associated with either fever or any focal seizure; this was
because a combination of fever and febrile seizures acted as risk factors for status epilepticus. Death
was more likely among children with both meningitis and status epilepticus.