title: Behavioral problems, cognitive difficulties and quality of life in children with epilepsy: an analysis of parental concerns.
abstract: In cognitively impaired or young children with epilepsy, only proxy-report can be used for the assessment of Quality of Life (QOL) and behavior. The present study aims to propose proxy QOL tools applicable in all children with epilepsy and to examine the impact of epilepsy characteristics (e.g., age of onset of epilepsy, epilepsy syndrome) and child's age and situation (in mainstream school or in special institution). We studied 219 children with various types of epilepsy with and without cognitive impairment. The study adapted published QOL scales and used a new parental QOL questionnaire. Selected items concerned 6 "domains" of QOL: global QOL, illness impact, depression/anxiety, hyperactivity/disrupting behavior, sociability, and parental QOL. School situation, epilepsy syndrome, and age were significantly and differentially related to the QOL domains. The proposed QOL tools are applicable to all children with epilepsy independently of comorbid conditions and can be used in a clinical context and for research studies of QOL in children with epilepsy. Epilepsy syndromes in children and their associated factors have a crucial impact on parental concerns and QOL.
authors.affiliation: a Université Paris Descartes, Institut de Psychologie, Laboratoire de Psychologie et de Neuropyschologie Cognitives - CNRS FRE 3292 , Boulogne-Billancourt , France.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Soria
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Escolano
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El Sabbagh
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chmura
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bulteau
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chiron
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dellatolas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D004519:Education, Special / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires