This tracing was recorded from a full term infant at the age of 22 to 26 hours. The infant was born after abruptio of the placenta. She underwent full resuscitation after delivery and was ventilated until 3 hours of age. Her Apgar score was 2, 4 and 7 at 1, 5 and 10 minutes of age. Cord pH was 6.86.
Clinical convulsions were first noted at the age of 18 hours.
In this example the voltage is normal, but, this saw tooth pattern of both the lower and upper part of the band alternating up and down, is a typical pattern of continuous seizure activity.
Of note is the transient effect of phenobarbital that abolished the seizure activity for two hours and also depressed the baseline of the CFM tracing.
At the age of 40 hours this abnormal activity ceased and a sleep wake patern appeared. On discharge the neurologic examination was normal and also the conventional EEG.