Abstract
Around 50% of epilepsy begins in childhood or adolescence. Behavioral and cognitive
problems are encountered in 20–30% of them. There are only few studies on this subject
from India. Aims of the study were to determine the frequency and spectrum of behavioral
disorders and cognitive impairment in school going epileptic children (4–15 yr). Patients
were selected from the Epilepsy Clinic, Neurology Indoor and Outpatient Department
of Bangur Institute of Neurosciences. Children with low intelligence quotient, having
medical co-morbidities were excluded. Behavioral impairment was assessed by Childhood
Behavior Checklist score. Cognitive impairment was assessed by comparing the rank
and attendance of the student before and after the seizure onset from interview and
by modified National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences battery scale. Results
showed that out of 150 children, 68.70% had generalized and 31.30% had localization
related epilepsy. Aggressive and destructive behavior was mostly noted in children
in the age group 4–6 yr and those on polytherapy having longer duration and increased
frequency of seizure. Overall, cognitive impairment was present in 54% of children
and with sustained attention being mostly affected. We concluded in this preliminary
observational study that behavioral abnormality was present in 74% epileptic children
and 8% of controls; cognitive impairment in the form of ill-sustained attention in
78.75% cases and 0.60% controls.
Keywords
School children - epilepsy - behavioral disorder - cognitive dysfunction
