Do spike-and-wave patterns in children affect intelligence?

Jul 29, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Zhou Xiaofeng

Introduction

In general, whether epileptiform discharges (spike-and-wave patterns) in children affect intelligence needs to be comprehensively evaluated based on the frequency of discharges, duration, and clinical symptoms. If spike-and-wave discharges occur frequently, such as multiple times daily or continuously, especially when accompanied by clinical epileptic seizures like absence or convulsions, they may interfere with normal brain electrical activity, affect the development of cognitive function, and consequently have a certain impact on intelligence.

Generally, whether epileptic slow-wave discharges affect intelligence in children needs to be evaluated comprehensively based on the discharge frequency, duration, and clinical symptoms. Detailed analysis is as follows:

Slow-wave discharges are abnormal electrical waveforms observed on electroencephalography (EEG), commonly seen in epilepsy or epileptic syndromes. If slow-wave discharges occur frequently, such as multiple times daily or continuously, especially when accompanied by clinical epileptic seizures like absence seizures or convulsions, they may interfere with normal brain electrical activity and impair cognitive development. Long-term effects may include inattention, memory decline, and consequently some impact on intellectual development, particularly during the critical period of brain development before age 5.

However, when only a small number of slow-wave discharges are detected on EEG without clinical seizures, most children experience no significant impact on intellectual development and only require regular EEG follow-up. Timely and standardized treatment, such as using anti-epileptic drugs to control seizures, can reduce abnormal brain electrical activity's damage to brain function and lower the risk of intellectual impairment.

Therefore, the impact of slow-wave discharges on children's intelligence varies individually and should be assessed comprehensively in clinical practice. Early intervention can improve prognosis.

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