Premium
The value of a neuropsychiatric examination of children with complex severe epilepsy
Author(s) -
HARVEY IAN,
GOODYER IAN M.,
BROWN STEPHEN W.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
child: care, health and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.832
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1365-2214
pISSN - 0305-1862
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2214.1988.tb00585.x
Subject(s) - epilepsy , value (mathematics) , medicine , psychiatry , psychology , computer science , machine learning
Summary The feasibility and utility of a neuropsychiatric assessment in a cohort of severely impaired children with long‐standing epilepsy (n = 96) is tested. This assessment is described, and some results reported in this highly selected group. Substantial difficulties in coordination were present in nearly three‐quarters of the sample, and dysarthria identified in two‐thirds. Psychiatric interviewing identified cases of mood disturbance that altered overall treatment of that child, and a more systematic behavioural assessment permitted clearer management of behavioural problems already known to staff. This research supports previous findings that a full neuropsychiatric evaluation is both practical and has an important place in the early assessment and ongoing management of complex childhood epilepsy.