Epilessia e anomalie epilettiformi: Associazione con i disturbi dello spettro autistico

The aim of our study was to assess, retrospectively, the prevalence of epilepsy and epileptiform abnormalities in a sample of autistic children and to describe their main features as well as the possible correlations among autism, epilepsy and epileptiform EEG. Our results show a prevalence rate of epilepsy and epileptiform abnormalities in autistic children higher than in general population and support the idea that epilepsy and abnormal EEG can interfere with the onset and the course of autism. The usefulness of prolonged sleep EEG recordings in the work-up of autism is underlined.