Behavior problems in children with epilepsy: what is the link? (Medical Research Update).

Some of the more common behavior problems observed in children with epilepsy, such as difficulty paying attention, have been commonly thought to develop as a reaction to the disorder and its treatment. A new study out of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and the University of Tennessee now disputes this theory, suggesting instead that even before the first seizure is recognized, these behaviors are present.

In the study, 224 children, aged 4 to 14, who had had their first seizure, recognized by their caregiver, were compared to their healthy siblings who were nearest in age. The children's parents were given a checklist of behaviors to help identify how the child who had the seizure had behaved in the six months prior to the seizure. It was discovered that one third of the children who had had their first seizure had already exhibited behavioral problems before the seizure.

Another result of the study was that after the signs of a seizure were more completely explained to the caregivers, it was clear that more children than was previously thought were found to have had prior, unrecognized seizures. To better manage behavior problems, the study's authors suggest that more needs to be done to improve early recognition of seizures. Says Joan Austin, Indiana University School of Nursing at IUPUI professor and head investigator in the study, "Parents and other caregivers should be educated about common and little-known signs of epilepsy."

Though the reasons remain unclear, the study also indicates the presence of a higher rate of behavior problems among siblings of children with epilepsy.

This study can be found in the January 2001 issue Pediatrics.