title: Active epilepsy in mentally retarded children. I. Prevalence and additional neuro-impairments.
abstract: A population-based study of active epilepsy was conducted in 6-13-year-old mentally retarded children born between 1975 and 1986. The population at risk comprised 48,873 children. Ninety-eight children were identified, 35 mildly and 63 severely retarded. The prevalence was 2.0 per 1000; 0.7 per 1000 for mildly and 1.3 per 1000 for severely retarded children. Sixty-nine children had at least one additional neuroimpairment. Cerebral palsy was found in 42 children with a majority of spastic/dystonic tetraplegias; visual impairment was present in 24 and autism in 24. Thirty-three children had only a mild or no gross motor disability and mild mental retardation, while 23 had IQs < 20 and a very severe gross motor disability. This study underlines the fact that active epilepsy in mentally retarded children is often associated with additional neuroimpairments, especially a combination of severe cerebral palsy and severe visual impairment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Göteborg, Ostra Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Steffenburg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hagberg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Viggedal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kyllerman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology