Objective The purpose of this study was to assess parent satisfaction with the management of ketogenic diet therapies (KDTs) through telemedicine using WhatsApp as the main tool. Methods Parent satisfaction was longitudinally evaluated through questionnaires. The survey was developed with Google Questionnaire forms and sent via WhatsApp. The questionnaire consisted of 13 items concerning the management of KDTs using telemedicine in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Our population of patients has limited financial resources and low levels of education. Given that many families did not have either computers or WIFI, or any other access to information or communication technology, WhatsApp was chosen as a tool as it was available on the cell phones of all families and the professionals. Results Our survey showed that 96.3% of the parents were satisfied with the management of KDTs through telemedicine. The main benefits observed were the possibility of continuing treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic and the ease of accessing the professional team from the comfort of their home. Overall, 72.2% of the families would recommend using telemedicine for KDTs in any situation regardless of the pandemic. None of the families reported that they would recommend against treatment by telemedicine. The availability of a social support network (parents WhatsApp group) coordinated by professionals from the KDT team was considered to be useful by most respondents (90%). Conclusions Our study suggests that management of children with DRE on KDTs through telemedicine is feasible, well accepted by the families, and probably as safe as conventional medicine. WhatsApp may be an interesting telemedicine tool to start and maintain KDTs.

Our study suggests that the hemi-ESES/CSWSS syndrome has electroclinical features compatible with an epileptic encephalopathy. The most commonly used treatments were clobazam, ethosuximide, and sulthiame, alone or in combination. In refractory cases, high-dose corticosteroids were administered. Although the number of patients in this study is too low to draw definite conclusions, we consider that in children with hemi-ESES/CSWSS secondary to a unilateral lesion, surgery should be considered.

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Aim. Absence status epilepticus (ASE) is a prolonged generalized absence seizure that usually lasts for hours and can even last for days. The main symptom is the altered content of consciousness while the patient may be alert and partly responsive. Methods. We describe the electroclinical features, treatment, and evolution of three paediatric patients with de novo ASE with an excellent response to valproic acid (VPA). Results. Three paediatric patients presented with non‐convulsive status epilepticus and an acute confusional state with impaired consciousness and EEG abnormalities compatible with typical ASE, associated with generalized spike‐and‐wave paroxysms at 2.5‐4 Hz, as the first epileptic manifestation at eight, three, and nine years of age, respectively. No significant personal and/or family history was reported. None of the patients had absence seizures or any other type of seizure before the occurrence of the ASE. All of them responded well to VPA and had a benign disease course. Neuroradiological imaging was normal in all patients. These three cases presented with ASE as the first manifestation of their epilepsy; none of them had any other type of seizure before the event or during their follow‐up, which was long‐term in one. All patients had an excellent response to VPA. Conclusions. Our three cases presented with generalized typical ASE as the first manifestation of their epilepsy. De novo ASE might be considered as a well‐defined idiopathic epilepsy syndrome or a variant of an idiopathic generalized epilepsy syndrome, such as a particular type or variant of childhood absence epilepsy.

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