A study of educational underachievement in Indian children with epilepsy

Epilepsy is a chronic disorder that significantly affects learning and behavior. Children with epilepsy are much more vulnerable for educational problems than with any other chronic illness.

The study was conducted to assess the extent of educational problems and factors associated with educational underachievement in Indian children with epilepsy.

It was a case control study and included 100 cases of 6-16 years age of epilepsy, 50 healthy children (control A) and 50 children with persistent asthma (control B). Their demographic and disease variables were evaluated. The educational performance was assessed by using a predesigned semi structured open ended questionnaire to parents and by teacher's report. Psychological evaluation was done in first step by using a standard questionnaire, childhood psychopathology measurement schedule. In second step, those have shown poor educational performance or significant score in standard questionnaire underwent detailed psychiatric evaluation.

Educational problems were reported in cases (36%), control A (2%) and control B (16%). Demographic or disease variables were not associated with educational problems in cases except that boys were more affected than girls. On psychiatric evaluation psychopathological illnesses (47%) like attention deficit hyperkinetic disorder, conduct disorder and depression were found to be commonly associated with poor educational performance (47%) followed by decreased learning opportunities (22.2%) and borderline intelligence (19.4%) in children with epilepsy.

Educational problems are commoner in children with epilepsy than with asthma. Psychopathological problems are commonly associated with educational underachievement in children with epilepsy. Therefore periodic psychosocial assessment, counseling and support must be provided to improve the psychosocial adjustment in children with epilepsy.