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Epileptic Children (epileptic + child)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	100%

Distribution within Medical Sciences

Pediatrics	45%
Neurology	36%

Selected Abstracts

Oral health status in epileptic children

PEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2010
Taskin Gurbuz
Abstract Background:, The aim of the present study was to evaluate the oral hygiene status and dental treatment requirements in children with epilepsy. Methods:, The treatment group consisted of 211 children with epilepsy (120 boys and 91 girls, 4,15 years old, mean age 7.85 ± 2.98 years). The control group consisted of healthy children, matched by age and gender. Clinical features of the patients were obtained from hospital records. Clinical examinations were conducted, under standard light, using a plane buccal mirror, a dental probe and air drying to evaluate caries experience and to record the periodontal health of each child. Statistical analysis was performed using ,2 test, Fisher exact test and anova. Results:, The number of decayed and missing teeth, the degree of abrasion and periodontal indexes were significantly worse in patients with epilepsy, compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Gingival enlargement was documented in 42% of patients on valproate monotherapy compared to only in 16% of patients on phenobarbital. Dental caries and halitosis were the most common oral disorders. Generalized tonic,clonic seizures often cause minor oral injuries and traumatized anterior teeth. Conclusions:, Epileptic children are at an increased risk of developing caries and gingivitis compared with healthy subjects. [source]

The effectiveness of a programme of enhancing resiliency by reducing family boundary ambiguity among children with epilepsy

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 9-10 2010
Pei-Fan Mu
Aim and objectives., The aim of the study was to examine the effect of a programme designed to reduce family boundary ambiguity in families who care for children with epilepsy. Background., When parents are caring for an epileptic child, they may experience unclear perceptions about whether the child is psychologically included in the family and develop unclear expectations regarding role performance in the family. Some studies have identified boundary ambiguity as a possible antecedent to relationship problems that are associated with negative outcomes in the areas of parental well-being and family functioning. There is a need to develop family nursing interventions that will reduce family boundary ambiguity when the family is caring for children with epilepsy. Design., A pretest, post-test, one group, quasi-experimental design was used in this study. Methods., This study was made up of three phases: first, the establishing of a parental needs checklist and the development of a parental education information handbook; second, the carrying out of a family assessment including the analysis of the meaning of their experiences and needs and the construction of an educational dialogue and finally, an outcomes evaluation after three months. Seventeen mothers participated in the study. Results., The study found that there were statistically significant improvements in family boundary ambiguity and maternal depression was reduced. Conclusions., This study illustrates nursing intervention that involves the integrating of phenomenological principles into the nursing care process. Specifically, Husserlian phenomenology is able to be helpful to nursing practice, especially the concepts of intentionality, intersubjectivity, empathy and bracketing. Relevance to clinical practice., This study supported the conceptual framework involved in the construction of the meaning of the situation, the enhancement of mastery over the situation and reconstruction of identity. These items are resiliency factors that provided a mechanism that helps to reduce boundary ambiguity when a family is caring for a child with epilepsy. [source]

Depression, anxiety and quality of life in parents of children with epilepsy

ACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2009
R. Lv
0bjectives,,, To assess the impact of childhood epilepsy on parental quality of life (QOL) and psychological health, and to investigate possible correlations between parental QOL and background variables as well as parental anxiety and depression. Subjects and methods,,, Parents having an epileptic child (n = 263) and parents having a healthy child (n = 270) were enrolled. Groups were in balance for background variables. Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) Questionnaire, Zung Depression Scale (ZDS) and Zung Anxiety Scale (ZAS) were applied to all parents. Patients were divided into the first visit group (newly diagnosed epilepsy) and follow-up visit group. Results,,, The parents of children with epilepsy had significantly lower QOL scores in SF-36 for all subscales and higher levels of depression and anxiety by using ZDS and ZAS. The factors correlated with parental QOL were seizure control, visit status, anxiety, depression, employment, cost of epilepsy, status epilepticus, drug side effect and age of parents. Conclusions,,, Childhood epilepsy has a severe impact on parental QOL and psychological health, and recognition of possible correlations between parental QOL and background variables will be helpful to improve parental QOL. [source]

Ghrelin levels are reduced in prepubertal epileptic children under treatment with carbamazepine or valproic acid

EPILEPSIA, Issue 2 2010
Flavia Prodam
Summary A relationship between ghrelin and epilepsy has been already shown in humans, although the results are controversial. Ghrelin levels are reduced in obesity. Epileptic patients progressively develop a therapy-linked weight gain; however, the mechanisms for this have not been fully explained. The aim of our study is to evaluate if ghrelin secretion is modulated by treatment with carbamazepine or valproic acid in young prepubertal epileptic children. Ghrelin levels were reduced in normal-weight young epileptic prepubertal children under treatment with carbamazepine (p < 0.0001) or valproic acid (p < 0.006) compared to healthy age- and weight-matched subjects. Ghrelin was also lower in children under carbamazepine when compared to those under valproic acid (p < 0.01). A derangement in ghrelin secretion in epilepsy during specific pharmacologic therapies and independent of weight gain could be hypothesized. [source]

The Evaluation of Thyroid Functions, Thyroid Antibodies, and Thyroid Volumes in Children with Epilepsy during Short-Term Administration of Oxcarbazepine and Valproate

EPILEPSIA, Issue 11 2006
Ali Cansu
Summary:,Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of short-term oxcarbazepine (OXC) and valproate (VPA) monotherapy on thyroid functions in children. Methods: Fifty-five newly diagnosed epileptic children with normal thyroid functions (confirmed with the thyrotropin releasing hormone stimulation test) participated in this study. VPA treatment was started in 30 patients and OXC in 25 patients. Serum thyroxine (T4), free thyroxine (fT4), triiodothyronine (T3), free triiodothyronine (fT3), reverse T3 (rT3), thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-ab), and urine iodine levels were evaluated at baseline and at the third and sixth months of therapy. Results: In the OXC group, serum T4, fT4, T3, fT3, and rT3 levels were found to be decreased at the third and sixth months, the differences were significant compared to the baseline values except for fT3 levels at the third month and fT4 and rT3 levels at the sixth month (p < 0.05). At the sixth month, serum T4 level dropped below the normal reference value in 8 (32%), fT4 in 5 (20%), T3 in 4 (16%), and fT3 in 3 (12%) patients. In the VPA group, mean T4, fT4, T3, fT3, and rT3 levels at 3 and 6 months remained similar compared to the baseline values (p > 0.05). Mean serum thyroid stimulating hormone levels increased significantly at the sixth month compared to the baseline values in the VPA group (p < 0.05) while it remained unchanged in the OXC group (p > 0.05). There was no effect of either drug on urinary iodine excretion and serum TPO-ab levels remained in normal ranges throughout the study. Conclusions: In this prospective study, it is documented that children under short-term OXC or VPA therapy showed altered thyroid functions similar to the changes observed after long-term treatment. Although, the clinical significance of these results need to be evaluated with future studies, this observation of altered thyroid functions points out that thyroid functions may need to be monitored closely in children receiving antiepileptic treatment, even in the short-time interval. [source]

Bone mineral metabolism changes in epileptic children receiving valproic acid

JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 8 2004
N Öner
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) in epileptic children receiving valproic acid (VPA) and to determine differences between osteopenic and non-osteopenic children. Methods: Thirty-three epileptic children, receiving VPA for at least 6 months, were compared with 33 healthy children for BMD. BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at lumbar vertebrae, femoral neck and greater trochanter. Serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphates, osteocalcin and VPA levels were also determined. Results: Patient's osteocalcin levels were significantly higher (P = 0.02) and femur and trochanter BMD values were significantly lower (P = 0.04 and P = 0.03, respectively). Duration of VPA therapy was significantly longer and doses of VPA were significantly higher in seven osteopenic patients compared with 26 non-osteopenic patients. Osteopenic patients (4.6 ± 2.4 years) were younger than non-osteopenic patients (7.8 ± 3.2 years) (P = 0.01). Conclusion: Long-term and high dose VPA therapy may cause osteopenia, primarily in younger epileptic children. These patients should be followed closely by BMD measurements. [source]

Evaluation of renal tubular function in children taking anti-epileptic treatment

NEPHROLOGY, Issue 6 2006
BULENT UNAY
SUMMARY: Aim: To assess the effects of anti-epileptic drugs on renal tubular function. Methods: Urinary N-acetyl-,-D-glucosaminidase activity was measured in 114 epileptic children (mean age 5.6 ± 1.1 years) who were undergoing monotherapy with valproate (n = 46), carbamazepine (n = 34), lamotrigine (n = 13) and combined therapy with valproate+carbamazepine (n = 21). Results: The urinary N-acetyl-,-D-glucosaminidase index of valproate (P < 0.01), carbamazepine (P < 0.05) and polytherapy group (P < 0.01) were significantly elevated when compared with that of the control group. No significant difference in N-acetyl-,-D-glucosaminidase levels was found between the lamotrigine group and the control subjects. We found that the distribution of the N-acetyl-,-D-glucosaminidase values of patients depended significantly on the length of therapy (P < 0.01). The level of urinary excretion of N-acetyl-,-D-glucosaminidase was significantly higher in the patients who were taking long-term treatment (>10 years) with valproate, carbamazepine and combined therapy than those taking therapy shorter than 10 years (P < 0.01). The mean serum concentrations of valproate and carbamazepine were 68.7 ± 17.44 µg/mL and 5.41 ± 1.23 µg/mL, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the serum concentration of valproate and urinary N-acetyl-,-D-glucosaminidase levels (r = 0.44, P < 0.01). There was also a significant correlation between the serum concentration of carbamazepine and N-acetyl-,-D-glucosaminidase excretion (r = 0.52, P < 0.01). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that in patients treated with valproate and carbamazepine, an impairment of tubular function can be present, whereas lamotrigine does not cause any significant change. [source]