Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 1, 2025
A Behavioral Screen for Heat-Induced Seizures in Mouse Models of Epilepsy
Published on: July 12, 2021
Anxiety of families after first unprovoked or first febrile seizure - A prospective, randomized pilot study
Kerstin Alexandra Klotz1, Jasmin Özcan2, Yusuf Sag2
1Department of Neuropediatrics and Muscle Disorders, Center for Pediatrics, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Mathildenstraße 1, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Berta-Ottenstein-Programme, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Breisacher Straße 153, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Epilepsy Center, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Breisacher Straße 64, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.
Insights
A timely follow-up in a first seizure clinic significantly reduces anxiety in children and parents after an unprovoked seizure. Anxiety naturally decreases over time for febrile seizures without intervention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Child Psychology
Background:
- First unprovoked seizures in children cause significant parental stress and anxiety.
- Interventions to alleviate this anxiety are not well-established.
- Febrile seizures serve as a comparison for anxiety evolution without specific intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate anxiety levels in parents and children following a first unprovoked seizure.
- To assess the anxiety-reducing efficacy of early, semi-structured follow-up care in a first seizure clinic (FSC).
- To compare anxiety changes between early care (EC) and late care (LC) groups, and with children experiencing febrile seizures (FS).
Main Methods:
- Prospective, interventional study with randomization.
- Patients with first unprovoked seizures were assigned to EC (FSC within 3 weeks) or LC (FSC after 4 months).
- Anxiety was measured using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) at baseline, 3 months (T1), and 12 months (T2).
- Parents of children with febrile seizures were followed without intervention.
Main Results:
- Initial parental anxiety was high across all groups.
- State anxiety was significantly higher in the LC group compared to the EC group at T1 (after EC intervention, prior to LC intervention) and persisted at T2.
- Similar anxiety reduction patterns were observed in children.
- Anxiety in the FS group decreased spontaneously within 3 months.
Conclusions:
- Early and structured follow-up in a first seizure clinic effectively reduces and sustains anxiety reduction after a first unprovoked seizure in children.
- Anxiety following a first febrile seizure naturally decreases over time without specific intervention.
Objectives:
Parents of children with a first unprovoked seizure report high levels of stress and anxiety. Little is known however about interventions that might help to reduce anxiety. We aimed to evaluate anxiety of parents and children after a first unprovoked seizure and assess the anxiety-reducing effect of a semi-structured follow-up in a first seizure clinic (FSC). In comparison, parents of children with febrile seizures are also evaluated, as an example of anxiety evolution without follow-up intervention after provoked seizures.
Study Design:
In this prospective, interventional study, patients presenting with a first unprovoked seizure were randomized to early care (EC) with follow-up in FSC within 3 weeks and late care (LC), follow-up in FSC after 4 months. Anxiety levels of parents and patients were scored with the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) after the initial seizure (T0), 3 and 12 months (T1, T2). To assess the effect of the semi-structured follow-up, anxiety scores were compared between the two groups at baseline, at T1 (i.e., after intervention in EC but prior to intervention in LC) and at T2. Parents of children with febrile seizures (FS) were prospectively followed up without intervention.
Results:
Fifty two patients were included (EC n = 18, LC n = 18, FS n = 15). Initial state anxiety in parents was high in all groups. At T1 (i. e. after intervention in EC but not LC) state anxiety was significantly higher in LC (52.2 (16.7) vs. 33.3 (5.3), p < 0.01). This effect persisted after 12 months, despite intervention in LC in the meantime (39.0 (11.7) vs. 28.8 (6.2); p < 0.01)). The effect in children was similar (T1: 40.6 (8.3) vs. 29.8 (5.1); p < 0.05 and T2: 33.5 (4.7) vs. 24.7 (3.6); p < 0.01). State anxiety in FS decreased within 3 months without intervention (50.0 (14.5) to 33.7 (9.2)).
Conclusions:
A timely and structured follow-up in a FSC offers effective and sustained reduction of anxiety-levels after first unprovoked seizure in children. In contrast, anxiety after a first febrile seizure decreases over time without additional intervention.
Related Concept Videos
01:13Seizures: Classification
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:
01:18Anxiety: Overview
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
01:24Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
01:30Generalized Anxiety Disorder