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Clinical and aetiological aspects of epilepsy in children with cerebral palsy

Malin Carlsson1, Gudrun Hagberg, Ingrid Olsson

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|June 6, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Epilepsy affects 38% of children with cerebral palsy (CP), with higher rates in those with tetraplegic CP and cognitive impairment. Epilepsy onset and seizure types vary by CP classification.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pediatrics
  • Epileptology

Background:

  • Cerebral palsy (CP) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children.
  • Epilepsy frequently co-occurs with CP, impacting patient outcomes.
  • Understanding the relationship between CP subtypes and epilepsy is crucial for management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the frequency and characteristics of epilepsy in children with CP.
  • To investigate the association between CP type, cognitive impairment, and epilepsy.
  • To explore the influence of CP etiology on epilepsy development and prognosis.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective, population-based study.
  • Analysis of 146 children with CP born between 1987-1994 in the Göteborg area, Sweden.
  • Data collection on epilepsy diagnosis, seizure types, age at onset, and CP etiology.

Main Results:

  • Epilepsy prevalence was 38% (55 children).
  • All children with tetraplegic CP and one-third with other CP types developed epilepsy.
  • Partial seizures were most common; all hemiplegic CP cases had partial seizures. Cognitive impairment and specific CP etiologies (CNS malformation, infection, grey matter damage) were associated with higher epilepsy rates and poorer seizure control.

Conclusions:

  • Epilepsy is highly prevalent in children with CP, varying significantly by CP type and etiology.
  • Tetraplegic CP and cognitive impairment are strong predictors of epilepsy.
  • CP etiology influences epilepsy development and the likelihood of achieving seizure freedom.

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