Psychiatric Bulletin, 32(6), June 2008, pp.224-226.
Publisher:
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Seeks to ascertain the prevalence of epilepsy and understand the differences in the comorbidities of non-epileptic and epileptic patients with learning disabilities. A simple comparative survey was undertaken between the two main groups of patients: non-epileptic and epileptic. The prevalence of epilepsy in the study group was 30%. A total of 70% of patients with any type of challenging behaviour were in the non-epileptic group compared with 59% in the epileptic group. Depression was the most common diagnosis in both groups, being slightly more in the non-epileptic group. Our study suggests that there is no association between epilepsy and the prevalence of challenging behaviour of psychiatric conditions within the learning disabilities population.
Seeks to ascertain the prevalence of epilepsy and understand the differences in the comorbidities of non-epileptic and epileptic patients with learning disabilities. A simple comparative survey was undertaken between the two main groups of patients: non-epileptic and epileptic. The prevalence of epilepsy in the study group was 30%. A total of 70% of patients with any type of challenging behaviour were in the non-epileptic group compared with 59% in the epileptic group. Depression was the most common diagnosis in both groups, being slightly more in the non-epileptic group. Our study suggests that there is no association between epilepsy and the prevalence of challenging behaviour of psychiatric conditions within the learning disabilities population.
Child: Care, Health and Development, 32(6), November 2006, pp.732-739.
Publisher:
Wiley
In children affected by specific language impairment (SLI), many authors have investigated a link between language and epileptiform discharges during sleep resembling the focal sharp waves typical of benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (BECTS), the so-called rolandic spikes. On the other hand, the same electroencephalographic trait occurs in more than 50% of children affected by learning
In children affected by specific language impairment (SLI), many authors have investigated a link between language and epileptiform discharges during sleep resembling the focal sharp waves typical of benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (BECTS), the so-called rolandic spikes. On the other hand, the same electroencephalographic trait occurs in more than 50% of children affected by learning or behavioural disabilities without seizures, supporting the hypothesis of a common genetic disposition. The biological background of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is currently unknown, but a genetic liability may be assumed. The aims of our study were first to estimate the prevalence of sleep-related epileptiform discharges in children affected by DCD and second to investigate the occurrence of DCD in a population of children affected by BECTS. The authors selected a group of eight children with severe DCD. In this group, the presence of epileptiform activity was investigated. We also searched for DCD among a group of 13 children affected by BECTS. The authors found rolandic spikes in more than 70% of the children with severe DCD and severe DCD in more than 30% of the children with BECTS. In children with severe DCD other disabilities are frequently associated. In these children, epileptiform activity during sleep is very frequently found and in our opinion, this represents a hallmark of 'Hereditary Impairment of Brain Maturation', a term only partially resembling 'Atypical Brain Development'.
Subject terms:
physical disabilities, self-determination, child development, communication disorders, children, epilepsy, comorbidity;