The acute EEG finding and its further development was evaluated in 599 children after craniocerebral injuries. In 577 (96.3 %) cases mild or medium grade injuries were involved. Immediately after less severe injuries an abnormal EEG finding was recorded in 61.2 % patients, whereby in 13.8 % a severe abnor- mality was found. The EEG changes receded within several days to weeks O 81.7 % abnormal ities disappeared within three weeks after the injury. Acute EEG findings in all children after serious injuries were associated with medium to severe abnormalities. The regression of these changes was in 20 surviving children slower O the finding was normal within three weeks only in one patient, in the remainder abnormalities of a medium or severe grade persisted. After three months 16 of 20 children (80 %) had an abnormal EEG finding, however, mostly only mild or medium grade abnormalities. In 12 patients (60 %) on the background of non-specific abnormalities epileptiform discharges were observed. Thus the information obtained from EEG examination made in the child immediately after a head injury is very limited. Marked EEG abnormalities which are the rule after serious injuries are occasionally encountered also after minor injuries. Only a normal EEG finding soon after an injury rules out with high probability a serious craniocerebral injury. Otherwise only the development of the EEG finding evaluated within several weeks makes it possible to differentiate retrospectively —functionalie changes caused by cerebral concussion from a correlate of an organic lesion, e.g. contusion.

        Key words: EEG, head injuries, craniocerebral injury in children