We are examining the consistency of diagnosis of a first seizure in children seeking care at a multispecialty urban teaching hospital. We are investigating whether the episode described was a first seizure, a nonfebrile seizure, whether it was symptomatic of an underlying illness, and how that seizure should best be descriptively classified. Among other information sought will be the source of the medical history, training of person in medical facility who records the history, length of time from episode to recording of history. At least two versions of the history are being recorded, and a sample audiorecorded; versions of the diagnostic impressions are being compared for consistency and for patterns of any differences observed.
