Comorbidities Associated with Pediatric Epilepsy

Pediatric epilepsy is frequently accompanied by a range of comorbidities that affect cognitive, behavioral, and developmental outcomes. Conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning difficulties, mood disorders, and behavioral challenges are commonly observed, often impacting quality of life and long-term social integration.

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Prevalence of Comorbidities in pediatric epilepsy:

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According to a study:

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Common comorbid conditions in children with epilepsy:

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80% of individuals with active epilepsy exhibit behavioral disorders and/or cognitive impairment.
ADHD prevalence in children with epilepsy is 28–70%, compared to 5–10% in the general pediatric population.1
33–43% of children with myoclonic atonic epilepsy develop a mild intellectual disability over time.
18.9% of children with epilepsy experience anxiety and 13.5% experience depression.

Relationship between epilepsy and comorbidities:

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Comorbidities in children with epilepsy

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References

  1. Holmes GL. Drug treatment of epilepsy neuropsychiatric comorbidities in children. Pediatric Drugs. 2021 Jan;23(1):55-73.
  2. Nickels KC, Zaccariello MJ, Hamiwka LD, Wirrell EC. Cognitive and neurodevelopmental comorbidities in paediatric epilepsy. Nature Reviews Neurology. 2016 Aug;12(8):465-76.
  3. Mulat H, Yegezaw N, Eyasu T. Co-morbidity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among children with seizure disorders at University of Gondar referral hospital Ethiopia (2016). Scientific Reports. 2021 Aug 12;11(1):16368.
  4. Dagar A, Falcone T. Psychiatric comorbidities in pediatric epilepsy. Current psychiatry reports. 2020 Dec;22:1-0.
  5. Shu-Hao Wei, Wang-Tso Lee, Comorbidity of childhood epilepsy, Journal of the Formosan Medical Association, Volume 114, Issue 11, 2015.