666 Intellectual Capabilities at Children with Epilepsy

Abstract

Background and aims: To evaluate intellectual potential at children with epilepsy, considering if the intellectual functioning of these children is worsening ; the development of the ilness and the basic factors which influence development and intelligence deficit. Methods: Files of 52 children, pacients in our institute, were reviewed with information about their sex, age, pediatric and neurologic status, neuropsychological evaluation of intellectual fonctioning, EEG results and NMR of the brain, and the therapy that was used and the effect it caused. Results: 25 girls and 27 boys, at the age of 1 to 18 years The following results were found: normal intellectual development at 27 children, borderline intellectual fonctioning at 6 children, mild mental retardation at 15 children, moderate intellectual retardation at 4 children and neurological problems at 8 children; 39 children are on monotherapy, 13 children on polytherapy The most used antiepileptics are valproats and carbamazepine, but the new generation of antiepileptics are frequently used too The farmacoresistant epilepsy is verified in 11 children, and morphological changes of NMR of the brain are visualised at 16 children. Conclusions: Most of the children with epilepsy show normal intellectual development, with tendency to decrease with the duration of the illness. Intellectual disability is more often found at children with an early beginning of the attacks, initially lower intellectual potential and lower control of attacks. Children with normal NMR of the brain most ofteh have a normal intelligence Higher intellectual deficit is found at children with farmacoresistant epilepsy.