Three-year-old boy, brought to the emergency department for having presented in the previous hour with two episodes of approximately one minute's duration, consisting of environmental disconnection, blank stare and generalised hypertonia; both episodes subsided on their own. Two days earlier she had started with diarrhoea and vomiting, and had not presented fever. She had no personal history of interest. His family history included only a six-year-old brother who had presented two febrile crises.

Physical examination showed no evidence of dehydration or neurological alterations. Blood count, biochemistry and venous blood gases were normal.

He remained under observation for 20 hours with no new crises and good tolerance to oral hydration. Rotavirus was detected in the stool culture. Subsequent follow-up with no new crises and normal psychomotor development.