Infantile spasms are a specific type of seizures found in children. If a specific pattern on the Electroencelography (EEG) is found and development regression is present, then the condition might be referred to as West syndrome.


Different causes might be responsible for the disorder, such as: birth injury, metabolic disorders, and genetic disorders. All these causes usually cannot be treated, but are important to find out if the damage done to the nerves is already finished or is still going on, which leads to a poorer prognosis.


The intellectual prognosis for babies with infantile spasms is rather poor. Less development regression might mean a better prognosis as the brain in children can be very adjustable because the healthy parts might take charge for certain of the functions of the damaged parts, if the damage is not too big.


You might want to ask a second neurologist about the EEG. The EEG shows electrical patterns produced by the brain cells. The electrical patterns are registered with several electrodes attached on the head. The patterns differ when they originate from healthy cells from the ones originating from the damaged cells. Simply put, the electrode that receives the unusual pattern indicates the area that is damaged. The neurologist might want to have more EEGs done for your baby in order to check if the damage is stopped or the disorder continues to worsen. He would also determine the frequency of EEGs needed to follow the condition.