THE DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER AMONG SCHOOLCHILDREN WITH EPILEPSY

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Abstract
Two groups of epileptic children, 1 newly diagnosed and 1 with chronic epilepsy, were compared with 2 comparable groups of diabetic children and with children in the general population in order to investigate the development of psychiatric disorder. Children with chronic epilepsy are significantly more disturbed than children with chronic physical illness not involving the CNS, and in the general population. Children with newly diagnosed epilepsy were also significantly more disturbed than those with newly diagnosed diabetes, and in the general population. The rate of psychiatric disturbance was similar in the 2 groups of epileptic children. In both groups of epileptic children, those with focal EEG abnormalities and/or complex partial seizures were particularly vulnerable to psychiatric disturbance.