title: The UWIMONA Pediatric Epileptic Seizure Screening Questionnaire was equivalent to clinical assessment in identifying children with epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the validity and reliability of a screening questionnaire administered to parents/caregivers to detect behaviors suggestive of epileptic seizures in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed a 10-item questionnaire, which was administered to 120 parents/caregivers of children attending hospital-based clinics/pediatric neurologists' offices. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the discriminant ability of the questionnaire and determine cutoff points. Questionnaire sensitivity and specificity were compared with clinical assessment by a pediatrician and pediatric neurologist. The questionnaire was readministered to 25 parents/caregivers after 1 month to assess reliability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 120 children had the following characteristics: 58% with epilepsy, 55% male, mean (standard deviation) age 8.1 (3.2) years. A positive response to ≥1 item had the highest sensitivity (89%) and specificity (91%), with a ROC area under curve of 0.91 (95% confidence interval: 0.86, 0.97). The validity of the questionnaire was similar to the clinical evaluation by the pediatric neurologist and pediatrician. The Spearman correlation coefficient for the total score from repeat administration of the questionnaire was 0.95 (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The UWIMONA Pediatric Epileptic Seizure Screening Questionnaire is a valid and reliable screening instrument and performed similarly when compared with evaluation by an experienced clinician.
authors: Department of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica. Electronic address: roxanne.melbournechambers@uwimona.edu.jm.
authors: Roxanne
authors: R
authors: Melbourne-Chambers
authors: Dell Children's Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas, 1301 Barbara Jordan Blvd, 200. Austin, Texas 78723.
authors: Dave
authors: D
authors: Clarke
authors: Mona Office for Research and Innovation, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
authors: Georgiana
authors: G
authors: Gordon-Strachan
authors: Bustamante Hospital for Children, Arthur Wint Drive, Kingston 5, Jamaica.
authors: Judy
authors: J
authors: Tapper
authors: Epidemiology Research Unit, Tropical Medicine Research Institute The University of the West Indies, 7 Ring Road, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
authors: Marshall K
authors: MK
authors: Tulloch-Reid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Developing country; Epilepsy; Pediatric; Questionnaire; Screening tool; Validation