title: Quality of life of children with benign rolandic epilepsy.
abstract: The first objective of this study was to determine the quality of life of children with benign rolandic epilepsy. Secondly, this investigation aimed to predict the influence of cognition on quality of life, controlling for the emotional impact of the epilepsy on the parent. Initial recruitment was through the major electroencephalography laboratories of metropolitan Sydney. The syndrome was defined using the International League Against Epilepsy classification. Patients underwent a comprehensive cognitive assessment, and parents completed the Child Health Questionnaire, Child Behavior Checklist, and Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire. Parental emotional impact was assessed using a subscale from the Child Health Questionnaire. The cohort included 30 patients (22 males, 8 females), mean age 9.67 years. There was a higher incidence of competence problems compared with normative data. The average psychosocial score was significantly lower than normative data. Controlling for parental emotional impact, general intellectual ability predicted quality of life in the areas of self-esteem and language. Clinical variables had minimal impact and were not included in the regression models. Parental emotional impact, however, was a major independent predictor of quality of life. Quality of life may be compromised in children with benign rolandic epilepsy and is related to cognitive variables and emotional impact of the epilepsy on the parent.
authors.affiliation: School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Department of Speech Pathology, Sydney Children's Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Northcott
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Cairns
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Christie
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berroya
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: Andrew F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Bleasel
authors.forename: Ann M E
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bye
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D019305:Epilepsy, Rolandic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012917:Social Adjustment