Question
A 7-year-old child has been suffering from epilepsy since 2010 and is currently taking Depakote to control convulsions and falls. However, since the onset of epileptic seizures, the child has exhibited various mental issues, including impulsivity, attention deficit, staring blankly, ecstatic running in new environments, obsessive thoughts, restlessness, confusion of thought, intellectual delay, logical communication disorders, and behavioral abnormalities. How should epileptic children with these mental symptoms be treated?
Answer
Clinically, epilepsy may be accompanied by mental disorders, known as epilepsy-related mental disorders. The manifestations of epilepsy-related mental disorders are varied, including episodic and persistent types. Episodic manifestations may occur before, during, or after a seizure, can be part of the seizure itself or an independent seizure. Symptoms may include transient perceptual, cognitive, and motor seizures, emotional distress or schizophrenia-like seizures with sudden onset, brief duration, and repetitive characteristics. Long-term seizures may lead to chronic schizophrenia-like disorders, personality changes, and intellectual impairments. It is reported that 25.27% of epileptic patients with clear mental disorders. If the child shows symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, symptomatic treatment may be considered, such as using antidepressants. Additionally, the emotional state of parents can also affect the child’s symptoms; therefore, support for parents is very important. If possible, we welcome you to bring your child to our pediatric department for consultation in Beijing.