In patients with a history of febrile seizures, what EEG finding is usually expected?

In patients with a history of febrile seizures, the EEG finding that is typically expected is that the EEG is normal between seizures. Febrile seizures are often described as self-limited convulsions that occur in children with a fever, typically without any significant underlying neurological condition. Postictally, the EEG may show some transient changes, such as slowing, but in the interictal period, these children usually exhibit normal EEG activity.

Maintaining this normalcy in the EEG during the periods without seizures is an important characteristic that helps differentiate febrile seizures from other types of epilepsy, which often present with more persistent EEG abnormalities between seizure events. Thus, the presence of a normal interictal EEG suggests a better prognosis and a lower risk of developing chronic epilepsy later in life.