Co-morbidities and outcome of childhood psychogenic non-epileptic seizures--an observational study

To assess the psychiatric diagnoses and outcome in children with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES).

This hospital based observational study was performed on 44 children aged <16 years, who suspected to have psychogenic non-epileptic seizures based on video-EEG, from August 2005 to August 2012. The parameters noted were the psychiatric diagnosis, co-morbidities, management assessment and interventions (pharmacological and psychosocial), number and duration of follow-up visits, symptoms at follow-up, functioning as reflected by involvement in the social and scholastic work.

All forty four children completed the evaluation. Thirty four children were diagnosed as having PNES and the underlying psychiatric diagnosis was conversion disorder (n=34, 77.3%). Co-morbid psychiatric disorders were present in 17 children (50%). The common co-morbidities were intellectual disability (n=8, 23.5%), specific learning disorder (n=5, 14.7%), and depression (n=5, 14.7%). Co-morbid epilepsy was present in 8 (23.5%) children and family history of epilepsy was present in 10 (29.4%) cases. About 17 of 34 (50.0%) patients had a minimum follow-up of 6 months (13.9 ± 4.8 months). Twenty six children (76.5%) remained symptom free at the follow-up of 9.8 ± 7 months. The remaining 10 children (22.7%) had non-epileptic seizures with underlying diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), gratification disorder and other physiological conditions.

Conversion disorder is a common diagnosis underlying psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. Outcome was good in 76.5% children with PNES. A multidisciplinary approach is needed in the diagnosis and management of PNES.