**1.1 History**

In 1875, Richard Caton an English physician reported a spontaneous electrical variation from exposed cortical brain hemispheres of rabbits and monkeys [8]. Early in the twentieth century, specifically in 1912, Vladimir Vladimirovich Pravdich-Neminsky a Russian Physiologist reported the first electrical brain impulse and evoked response in animals (dog) [8]. However, in 1924 German Neurologist and Psychiatrist Hans Berger recorded the first human EEG in a graph paper which later named an electroencephalogram (EEG) device. Berger subsequently characterized different rhythmic nature and wave patterns of the brain activity based on the different physiological state of the subjects (**Figure 1**) [8]. The initial description of clinical encephalography was first reported by an American neurologist Frederic Andrews Gibbs in 1935 who initially documented the classical interictal spikes associated with epilepsy and first to demonstrate the typical 3 per second spike and wave discharges associated with absence epilepsy. He also described EEG pattern during impaired consciousness level (**Figure 2**) [8–10].

#### **Figure 1.**

*Hans Berger, German neurologist and psychiatrist (1873–1941) [11].*

**137**

*Basic Electroencephalogram and Its Common Clinical Applications in Children*

**2. Analysis and understanding the complex brain network**

to some serious neurodevelopmental disabilities [12].

(fMRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) [13].

**3. Preparing pediatric patients for EEG study**

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) [14].

EEG study in children [15].

The human brain consists of a complete and comprehensive network map of neuronal connections called human connectome. The normal maturation of these interconnected neurons associated with normal development of high cortical functions and motor skill consolidation. The failure of this network maturation can lead

The connectivity of this complex brain network can be classified into three types: structural connectivity, functional connectivity and effective connectivity [13]. Structural connectivity can be further subdivided into two types. First the anatomical connections that links a bundle of neural elements and second is the

Functional connectivity is obtained from time series analysis and reflects the statistical dependence within neural units. This time sense date can be defined by different methods which include EEG, Functional magnetic resonance imaging

Effective connectivity (EC) defines the casual effects that one neural system exerts over another. EC cannot be assessed directly so several techniques have been used to study the EC. The Dynamic Casual Modeling (DCM) is the main method for evaluating EC by analyzing data from neuroimaging studies such as Functional

Performing electroencephalography (EEG) in children can be quite challenging

as most of these children are not cooperative during this study due to the great fear and restlessness during the EEG procedure. It is vitally important to prepare a Pediatric patient for EEG study in order to have better interpretation of the EEG results. The application of psychological technique prior to the study and the availability of the parents during the procedure can be helpful to conduct the study smoothly and minimize the need for premedication drugs. However, the behavioral and psychological techniques are not always successful in a small proportion of children. Different premedication protocols have been proposed in order to alleviate the great distress and anxiety during the study. The ideal pharmacological agents for such procedure should have a minor impact on the EEG tracing with fast onset and few side effects. Benzodiazepine is the most common premedication agent used with Midazolam being the most popular drug to induce sedation for

Chloralhydrate is another medication which has been used to induce sedation in the Pediatric population during different neurological studies including EEG. Chloralhydrate is a safe, cheap hypnotic non-opiate drug with no major side effects with the exception of vomiting in few cases. Chloralhydrate has been also shown to

Electroencephalography EEG, since it's first introduction early in the 20th century, has been an essential and the most common neurophysiological device to monitor and study the electrical and functional activity of the brain [17]. EEG is a commonly used non-invasive tool to track and record the electrical field potentials captured by electrodes placed on the patient scalp. These electric field potentials

be effective and more time saving during EEG procedure [16].

**4. Technical aspects of electroencephalography**

interregional fibers linking cortical to subcortical gray matter areas [13].

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94247*

*The classical 3 per second spike and wave discharges was first described by Frederic Gibbs [10].*

*Basic Electroencephalogram and Its Common Clinical Applications in Children DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94247*
