Depression and Anxiety Disorders in Pediatric Epilepsy (original) (raw)
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Epilepsy & Behavior, 2009
Among the psychiatric comorbid conditions in children and adolescents with epilepsy, depression and anxiety disorders require further attention because they carry the risk of reduced quality of life and life-threatening complications (e.g., suicide). Research in recent years has shed light on both the prevalence of emotional problems in youth with epilepsy and the safety and efficacy of treatment options. A number of challenges exist in treating patients with epilepsy. This is particularly true when seizures are difficult to control and medication regimens are more complex. Some pharmaceutical options may provide assistance with both seizures and emotional distress, but care is needed when considering such treatment approaches. In addition, integration of mental health professionals into the care of patients is necessary when cases are complicated and risk factors are high. Thorough methods to accurately diagnose emotional conditions and regular monitoring of symptoms can help prevent serious problems that can negatively affect the success of children and adolescents in everyday life. Collaboration between disciplines offers the best hope for early identification and treatment of these conditions.
Epilepsy & behavior : E&B, 2015
Children (5-15years) with active epilepsy were screened using the parent-report (n=69) and self-report (n=48) versions of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) and the self-report version of the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) (n=48) in a population-based sample. A total of 32.2% of children (self-report) and 15.2% of children (parent-report) scored ≥1 SD above the mean on the SCAS total score. The subscales where most difficulty were reported on parent-report were Physical Injury and Separation Anxiety. There was less variation on self-report. On the CDI, 20.9% of young people scored ≥1 SD above the mean. Children reported significantly more symptoms of anxiety on the SCAS total score and three of the subscales (p<.05). There was a significant effect on the SCAS total score of respondents by seizure type interaction, suggesting higher scores on SCAS for children with generalized seizures on self- but not parent-report. Higher CDI scores were significantly asso...
Depression among school aged epileptic children and their siblings
Egyptian Journal of Psychiatry, 2015
as 'atypical'. The characteristic of depressive disorders in epilepsy is the temporal relation of their symptoms to that of seizure occurrence; thus symptoms can be classified as preictal (preceding seizures by up to 2 days), ictal (being an expression of the actual seizures or the aura), interictal (occurring independently from seizures), and postictal (occurring any time within the first 5 days following seizures) (Morales et al., 2008). Suicidality (completed suicide, suicide attempt, and suicidal ideation), is significantly more frequent among people with epilepsy than in the general population. Yet, it remains under-recognized and untreated (Rafnsson
Epilepsy & behavior : E&B, 2017
We studied children and adolescents with epilepsy (CAWE) and their families to evaluate symptoms of anxiety and depression, quality of life (QoL), and their correlations with epilepsy characteristics. The study included 326 (52.5% females) 8 to 18years old CAWE. Anxiety and depression were assessed with the "Self-administered psychiatric scales for children and adolescents" (SAFA), and family's QoL with the parents' report "Impact of Epilepsy on QoL" (IEQoL). The CAWE exhibiting abnormal (T≥70) scores were 8.0% in the anxiety scale, 9.2% in the depression scale, and 4.6% in both scales. Social anxiety was the predominant anxiety symptom, while irritable mood and desperation were the most frequent symptoms of depression. Depressive symptoms were associated with parents' complaint of higher worries about the child's condition and future and lower well-being of the family. Severity and duration of the epilepsy and polypharmacy were independent from a...
Relationship of Epilepsy-Related Factors to Anxiety and Depression Scores in Epileptic Children
Journal of Child Neurology, 2002
Cognitive and behavioral impairments are found more often among epileptic children than among their peers. In this study, we evaluated the anxiety and depression in epileptic children to compare their results with that of a healthy control group and to determine the relationship of anxiety and depression scores to epilepsy-related factors. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Children's Depression
Screening for suicidal ideation in children with epilepsy
Epilepsy & Behavior, 2013
Given the FDA's warning regarding the potential connection between suicidal behavior and antiepileptic drugs, this study examined methods by which to detect suicidal ideation in children with epilepsy. It compared the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve for identifying children with suicidal behavior using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and a structured psychiatric interview. Parent completed CBCLs provided behavior problem scores on 177 children with epilepsy, aged 5-16 years. Psychiatric diagnoses were made based on separate child and parent structured psychiatric interviews about the child. Children answered questions on suicidal behaviors during the interview. The clinically elevated CBCL Total Problems scale and having more than one psychiatric diagnosis, irrespective of type of diagnosis, were significant predictors and correctly classified children with suicidal ideation in 79% of the cases based on the CBCL and 80% of the cases with more than one psychiatric diagnosis. These findings indicate that elevated CBCL Total Problems scores, a commonly used instrument, can screen and identify risk for suicidal behavior in children with epilepsy. Additionally, irrespective of diagnosis, if a child with epilepsy has more than one psychiatric diagnosis, further assessment of suicidal behavior is warranted. Importantly, the results underscore the utility of having parents complete a
Epilepsia, 2011
This study evaluated the effects of depression and anxiety disorder symptoms on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children and adolescents with epilepsy. Sixty children and adolescents and their parents participated in the study. Symptoms of anxiety disorders were identified by the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders questionnaire (SCARED) and symptoms of depression by the Mood and Feeling Questionnaire (MFQ). The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) was used for HRQOL assessments. A series of simple and partial correlations revealed that the levels of HRQOL significantly decrease as symptoms of depression or anxiety disorders increase and vice versa. Stepwise regression method of children's ratings resulted in a final model of school achievement and symptoms of generalized anxiety and separation anxiety disorder as predictors that explain 50.9% of the variation in HRQOL (F = 11.21, p < 0.000). For parents' ratings, the final model included symptoms of depression and separation anxiety disorder as predictors that explain 38.4% of the variation in HRQOL (F = 10.82, p < 0.000). In summary, symptoms of depression and generalized and separation anxiety disorders have the most significant impact on HRQOL.
A Study on Pediatric Epilepsy and its main Psychiatric Comorbidities
Background: Epilepsy is a common neurological problem. It has deleterious effects on the developing brain leading to significant psychosocial and economic burden. It is a treatable neurological problem and judicious approach will lead to early diagnosis and treatment, thus preventing significant morbidity. This study aims to study the psychiatry comorbidities in epilepsy children. Methods: This study was conducted as a comparative study in Department of pediatrics in collaboration with Department of Psychiatry, S.P. M.C Bikaner (Rajasthan) from 2015 January to 2015 September. All the patients and control group were evaluated on Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale All the collected data was tabulated and statically analyzed by using SPSS software. Results: In the case group 62% of the patients were having one or more of the psychiatric problem, including major depression, anxiety, behavioral problem or low I.Q. (<80), while the same in the control group was found to be 36% with significant p values. It was found that males were having more psychiatric problem. In our study, 30.8% patients were found to have depression as compared to 12% in the control group and anxiety was found twice (36%) in the case group as compared to control group (18%). Conclusion: Depression, anxiety and behavioral problems are present in large rates in the epileptic patients. Hence involvement of a psychiatrist while dealing with a patient of epilepsy can be done for early recognition and treatment of the disease.
Anxiety in children with epilepsy
Epilepsy & Behavior, 2003
Although the prevalence is unknown, affective disorders are more common in children with epilepsy than in healthy controls. The purpose of the present study was to examine the occurrence of anxiety in children and adolescents with epilepsy and to determine factors associated with elevation of these symptoms. Children and adolescents ðn ¼ 101Þ between the ages of 6 and 16 years were given the Revised ChildrenÕs Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS). Mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety were reported by 23% of the patients. Based on regression analysis, factors significantly associated with increased anxiety included the presence of comorbid learning or behavioral difficulties, ethnicity, and polytherapy. Results suggest the need to monitor children and adolescents with epilepsy for affective symptoms in order to provide appropriate interventions.