1. What is epilepsy? What happens to the brain? A: Epilepsy is a group of abnormal neuronal hyper-synchronization discharge syndrome in the brain caused by different etiologies, characterized by recurrent, transient abnormalities in central nervous system function. Due to the different sites of abnormally discharged neurons, seizures can manifest as sensory, motor, consciousness, mental, behavioral or autonomic dysfunction. 2. How does epilepsy in children result? Congenital or acquired? A: Epilepsy occurs as a result of the interaction between intrinsic genetic factors and the external environment within the individual, and the etiology of each epileptic patient includes both of these factors. Currently, the International League Against Epilepsy Classification Working Group recommends that the etiology of epilepsy be divided into 6 major categories: genetic, structural, metabolic, immunological, infectious, and of unknown origin. Therefore, a child’s epilepsy specifically due to what cause needs to be evaluated comprehensively. 3. Can fever cause epilepsy? A: Fever itself does not cause epilepsy, but fever caused by various encephalitis, infectious diseases of the central system, etc., may later develop sequelae of epilepsy. Children with febrile convulsions have a higher chance of developing epilepsy later than normal children. 4. Is the intelligence of children with epilepsy affected? A: Epilepsy is essentially a chronic neuronal dysfunction of the brain caused by a variety of factors, so it not only results in seizures, but is often accompanied by other manifestations of chronic brain dysfunction, such as various psychiatric behavioral problems and cognitive impairment. Some children with some types of epilepsy do have more pronounced cognitive impairment, such as infantile spasms and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome; however, most children with most types of epilepsy have completely normal intellectual development, such as benign childhood epilepsy with central temporal area spikes (BECT) and early-onset benign childhood occipital lobe epilepsy. 5. Is it necessary to treat epilepsy? Can it be self-healed? What will happen if it is not treated? A: The diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy are closely related, but not necessarily necessarily linked. It is not always necessary to treat epilepsy after it is diagnosed. For example, patients with benign partial epilepsy in children with sparse seizures or epilepsy with mild seizures (aura-only seizures) may choose not to treat them; however, if the cause of the seizures persists (e.g., a clear history of perinatal brain injury), antiepileptic medication should be given after the first seizure. There are some age-related epilepsies, such as benign epilepsy in children with central temporal spikes (BECT) that most seizures stop around puberty as they age. For epilepsy with frequent seizures, early treatment is needed because repeated seizures can cause further adverse effects on brain function, and sudden falls and loss of consciousness during seizures are also potentially dangerous to the child’s safety. 6. For the treatment of epilepsy, should I take medicine or surgery? Can surgery completely cure it? A: Anti-epileptic medication is the most basic and important treatment for epilepsy and is often the first choice of treatment for epilepsy; epilepsy surgery is also an important part of epilepsy treatment, and it needs to be clear that epilepsy surgery is not the last part of epilepsy treatment, but may also be the first part. The current basic view is that for the vast majority of epilepsies, surgery is not the treatment of choice, but for symptomatic (e.g., intracerebral tumors, abscesses, etc.) epilepsies, those who can find a clear surgically resectable lesion can first undergo neurosurgery. Whether or not a cure can be achieved depends on a variety of factors, including the type of epilepsy and the condition of the lesion, and the cure/efficiency rate varies depending on the type of surgery chosen (resective, palliative, neuromodulation, and others).