Benefits of Psychiatric Interventions in Children with Epilepsy

The aim of a new study was to assess the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in children with epilepsy (CWE) and their impact on quality of life (QOL).

In this prospective hospital-based observational study, children with epilepsy and normal IQ were evaluated using the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) for anxiety and depression; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for emotional and behavioral issues; and QOL in Children with Epilepsy (QOLCE-31) scale to measure quality of life at enrollment – repeated after three months following intervention for comorbidities.

It was noted that a significant proportion of the children met clinical thresholds for: social phobia - 24.4%; major depression - 20.0%; generalized anxiety - 38.9%; separation anxiety - 35.56%; and conduct problems - 28.89%; peer problems - 13.34%. Improvements were observed in children's QoL following appropriate interventions towards these psychiatric issues.

Psychiatric comorbidities are common in CWE and significantly impact their QoL. Interventions addressing these conditions lead to marked improvements.

Source: VNVSJ SC, Kamate M, Koparde V. Indian Pediatrics. 2024 Aug 26.