Foreword

Epilepsy is a common and frequently disabling disorder in children. Linking its clinical manifestations to electrographic and imaging changes is essential to correct diagnosis and management. This multimedia work provides an accessible, comprehensive, and timely tool for the child neurologist or epileptologist in training or in practice to become familiar with the extraordinary richness of the clinical and electrographic manifestations of childhood epilepsy.

The text represents the distillation of an extraordinary body of clinical experience and painstaking attention to detail, which is characteristic of Dr. Laoprasert. I first had the privilege of making his acquaintance two decades ago, when he began his child neurology training at Mayo Clinic. Since that time, he has established himself as a first-class pediatric epileptologist and scholar. This fine work is an appropriate testament to his diligence and skill.

The text is laid out in a systematic and thoughtful fashion, beginning with common and not-so-common patterns and variants in the electroencephalogram, which can be a source of confusion and diagnostic error to the novice. Subsequently, pathological conditions are explored in a similarly logical and comprehensive fashion. Since most of us learn from our patients, I predict that this case-based approach will be extremely effective. I commend this work to anyone who wishes to improve his or her grasp of epilepsy in childhood. It will be essential reading for pediatric epilepsy trainees but will also be a frequently consulted resource for residents in training. By the same token, the child neurologist who is not an expert in epilepsy, and even experienced pediatric epileptologists, will find a great deal of valuable material to enhance the care of their patients. Whether read cover-to-cover, used to review specific problems, or dipped into at random, this text makes learning about epilepsy in children a pleasure and will ultimately enhance the quality of their lives and those of their families.