1043-3155 Pediatr Neurol Briefs pedneurbriefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs Pediatric Neurology Briefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs 2166-6482 1043-3155 2166-3155 Pediatric Neurology Briefs Publishers Chicago, IL, USA PNB-7-01 10.15844/pedneurbriefs-7-1-1 Seizure Disorders Neurology Pediatrics Nervous System Diseases Child Development Brain Diseases Neurosurgery Child Infant Behavior Disorders and Epilepsy http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0173-7931 Millichap J. Gordon MD 1 2 * Division of Neurology, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL Correspondence: Dr. J. Gordon Millichap, E-mail: jgmillichap@northwestern.edu 01 1993 01 07 2016 7 1 1 1 Copyright: © 1993 The Author(s) 1993 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Correlates of behavior problems in children with epilepsy

A longitudinal study of 127 children with epilepsy aged 8-12 years and their mothers, designed to identify factors contributing to behavior problems, is reported from the Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis; the Minnesota Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Minneapolis; and the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston.

 Longitudinal Study Comprehensive Epilepsy Program Family Stress

A longitudinal study of 127 children with epilepsy aged 8-12 years and their mothers, designed to identify factors contributing to behavior problems, is reported from the Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis; the Minnesota Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Minneapolis; and the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston. Variables that accounted for 30% of the variation in child behavior problems included female gender, seizure frequency, family stress, and family social support. Family stress and seizure frequency were positively related whereas family social support was negatively associated with behavior problems. Children experiencing behavior problems had poorer seizure control and came from troubled families with mothers receiving inadequate support from relatives. [1]

COMMENT. Family variables and seizure frequency are important correlates of behavior problems in children with epilepsy. Neurological dysfunction may predispose children to both epilepsy and psychiatric disturbance, but family stress may have a stronger influence on child adjustment than seizure severity. In addition to treatment with anti-epileptic drugs, attention to family relationships is important in clinical management of childhood epilepsy.

 Austin JK Risinger MW Beckett LA Correlates of behavior problems in children with epilepsy Epilepsia 1992 Nov-Dec 33 6 1115 22 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1992.tb01768.x 1464273