Biomaterial Database

Social aspects of epilepsy in childhood and adolescence. 1988

N Buchanan

Department of Paediatrics, Westmead Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.

Epilepsy differs from other chronic conditions because of the unpredictability of the seizures, the absence of an absolute diagnostic test other than video-telemetry and the stigma associated with the condition. Working from a hospital base with a biased population, one might be forgiven for thinking that most people with epilepsy have major problems either of seizure control or socially. This is naturally not the case, but the social problems of epilepsy are sufficiently frequent and/or severe to warrant comment. Simply making the diagnosis may produce parental anxiety and guilt. This is often compounded by societal misunderstanding of epilepsy and the incorrect association with mental illness. Furthermore, it is those children or adults who have severe epilepsy who stand out in society, with the tacit implication that all epileptics (people with epilepsy) are like them. There is a societal generalization that all epileptics are the same. It is not appreciated that there are many types of epilepsy (convulsive and non-convulsive) and that epilepsy varies from being very mild to intractable. Treatment also has implications: children and adolescents may not like to take, or be seen to be taking, medication. It is desirable where possible to recommend twice daily dosage with breakfast and dinner. This avoids the need to take medication to school, or in the case of adolescents, to work. In addition, compliance is enhanced with a twice daily dosage. There is without doubt a stigma associated with epilepsy which persists despite being to a less degree than in the past.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007859	Learning Disabilities	Conditions characterized by a significant discrepancy between an individual's perceived level of intellect and their ability to acquire new language and other cognitive skills. These may result from organic or psychological conditions. Relatively common subtypes include DYSLEXIA, DYSCALCULIA, and DYSGRAPHIA.	Adolescent Learning Disabilities,Adult Learning Disabilities,Child Learning Disabilities,Developmental Academic Disability,Developmental Academic Disorder,Developmental Disabilities of Scholastic Skills,Learning Disabilities, Adolescent,Learning Disabilities, Child,Learning Disorders,Academic Disorder, Developmental,Adult Learning Disorders,Developmental Disorders of Scholastic Skills,Learning Disorders, Adult,Learning Disturbance,Scholastic Skills Development Disorders,Academic Disabilities, Developmental,Academic Disability, Developmental,Academic Disorders, Developmental,Adolescent Learning Disability,Adult Learning Disability,Adult Learning Disorder,Child Learning Disability,Developmental Academic Disabilities,Developmental Academic Disorders,Disabilities, Adolescent Learning,Disabilities, Adult Learning,Disabilities, Child Learning,Disabilities, Developmental Academic,Disabilities, Learning,Disability, Adolescent Learning,Disability, Adult Learning,Disability, Child Learning,Disability, Developmental Academic,Disability, Learning,Disorder, Learning,Disorders, Adult Learning,Disorders, Learning,Disturbance, Learning,Disturbances, Learning,Learning Disabilities, Adult,Learning Disability,Learning Disability, Adolescent,Learning Disability, Adult,Learning Disability, Child,Learning Disorder,Learning Disorder, Adult,Learning Disturbances
D008297	Male		Males
D011788	Quality of Life	A generic concept reflecting concern with the modification and enhancement of life attributes, e.g., physical, political, moral, social environment as well as health and disease.	HRQOL,Health-Related Quality Of Life,Life Quality,Health Related Quality Of Life
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D004827	Epilepsy	A disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of paroxysmal brain dysfunction due to a sudden, disorderly, and excessive neuronal discharge. Epilepsy classification systems are generally based upon: (1) clinical features of the seizure episodes (e.g., motor seizure), (2) etiology (e.g., post-traumatic), (3) anatomic site of seizure origin (e.g., frontal lobe seizure), (4) tendency to spread to other structures in the brain, and (5) temporal patterns (e.g., nocturnal epilepsy). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p313)	Aura,Awakening Epilepsy,Seizure Disorder,Epilepsy, Cryptogenic,Auras,Cryptogenic Epilepsies,Cryptogenic Epilepsy,Epilepsies,Epilepsies, Cryptogenic,Epilepsy, Awakening,Seizure Disorders
D005260	Female		Females
D006167	Guilt	Subjective feeling of having committed an error, offense or sin; unpleasant feeling of self-criticism. These result from acts, impulses, or thoughts contrary to one's personal conscience.	Guilts
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths