The neurodevelopment of 14 infants with AANS was assessed during the first year of life in the Division of Neonatology (Dr Randall), Beth Israel Medical Center, First Ave at 16th St, New York, NY. Bayley developmental scores remained normal and most early EEG and neurological abnormalities, including hypertonia, hyperreflexia, tremors and irritability, became normal during follow-up. Seizures, mainly myoclonic, were controlled initially with phenobarbital I.V. and then oral phenobarb or paregoric. Medications were gradually discontinued if EEG’s reverted to normal. Of 9 original abnormal EEG’s, 4 were normal by 8 weeks of age and only one remained abnormal at 6 months. Clinical improvement paralleled EEG improvement. Prognosis for AANS was good and different from that of neonatal seizures due to other causes. [1]

COMMENT. Infants born to methadone and heroin-dependent mothers have a reported risk of 20% and 4%, respectively, of developing seizures. Fortunately, these neonatal seizures appear to be transient and unassociated with persistent neurological deficits, whereas infants with neonatal seizures from other causes have a mortality rate of 35% and two-thirds of survivors suffer from cerebral palsy, epilepsy or retardation. [2]