Abstract
Cognitive and behavioral disturbances in children with epilepsy present a significant clinical problem in pediatric neurology, we examined sixteen children (10 boys, 6 girls, 10.2 years old) with epilepsy and ADD (E-ADD) and compared them to 84 non-epileptic children (69 boys, 15 girls, 10.0 years old) with ADD. Such a strategy is designed to circumvent the issue of attentional problems by including ADD as an independent variable. Groups were comparable on parent and teacher completed behavioral scales reflecting inattention, hyperactivity, poor impulse control, emotional lability, aggressive and socialized conduct disorders; similarly groups did not differ on language attainment or dexterity. Significant differences emerged on individualized intelligence (WISC-R) and achievement tests (Woodcock-Johnson). Thus, E-ADD compared to non-epileptic ADD children exhibited lower scores on FSIQ (92.4 vs 102), PIQ (88.2 vs 102), Picture Completion (7.92 vs 11.0), Picture Arrangement (9.00 vs 11.3), Block Design (7.54 vs 10.3) and Knowledge (87.1 vs 97.9). Such findings suggest that the cognitive difficulties in children with epilepsy occur independent of the attentional and behavioral problems. Furthermore, they emphasize the additive effect of epilepsy and ADD on reductions in IQ.
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Kinney, R., Shaywitz, B. & Shaywitz, S. 1682 COGNITIVE DEFICITS INDPENDENT OF BEHAVIORAL DIFFICULTIES IN CHILDREN WITH EPILEPSY AND ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (ADD). Pediatr Res 19, 391 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01706
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01706
