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Living with Benign infantile focal epilepsy with midline spikes and waves during sleep

A rare seizure condition that starts in infants between 4 and 30 months old.

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Understanding Benign infantile focal epilepsy with midline spikes and waves during sleep

Benign infantile focal epilepsy with midline spikes and waves during sleep is a rare epilepsy syndrome that starts in infancy.

It begins between 4 and 30 months of age. Seizures start in one part of the brain and may cause a pause in movement, staring, and a bluish color of the skin. Less often there are repeated automatic movements. A sleep brain-wave test (EEG) shows a typical pattern in the middle of the brain.

Signs & symptoms

GARD describes seizures with these features:

  • Pause in movement (motion arrest)
  • Staring
  • Bluish skin color (cyanosis)
  • Repeated automatic movements
  • Seizures starting in one part of the brain

Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.

Diagnosis

  1. Talk with your doctor

    Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.

  2. See a specialist

    Specialists who may be involved include brain and nervous system specialists, genetic specialists and seizure and epilepsy specialists.

  3. Ask which tests can help

    Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.

  4. Connect with expert centers

    Epilepsy Foundation may keep lists of experts for this condition.

Care & treatment

Care team
Brain and nervous system specialists (neurologists); Genetic specialists (geneticists); Seizure and epilepsy specialists (epileptologist)
Expert care
Expert lists: Epilepsy Foundation
Treatment
GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
Research
Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.

General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.

Everyday life

Living with a rare condition is easier with support.

  • Connect with Epilepsy Foundation
  • Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
  • Ask about patient registries that help research
  • Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Bring these questions to your next doctor visit
What does the sleep EEG show in my child?
Is genetic testing recommended?
What should we do if a seizure happens?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startInfant

GARD says changes in genes cause this condition, but doesn't name a specific gene yet.

GeneticNeurological

Also known as: bimse; bimse - benign infantile focal epilepsy with midline spikes and waves during sleep

Patient organizations

Broader rare-disease groups

Source: NIH GARD · Benign infantile focal epilepsy with midline spikes and waves during sleepGARD ID 20075 · GARD page updated September 2026 · Plain-language summary by Know Rare; editorial review pending. General information, not medical advice.

You are more than your diagnosis

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