Neurodevelopmental and psychiatric comorbidities negatively affect outcome in children with unprovoked seizures-A non-systematic review
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Updated: Oct 26, 2025
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Eva Åndell Jason1,2,3
1Neuropediatric Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Insights
Most children with epilepsy experience comorbidities, impacting quality of life and seizure control. Early assessment by multidisciplinary teams is crucial for improving outcomes in pediatric epilepsy.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Child Psychiatry
Background:
- Epilepsy is frequently accompanied by comorbidities in children, affecting 80% of cases.
- Understanding these comorbidities is essential for comprehensive pediatric epilepsy care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review common comorbidities in children with epilepsy.
- To analyze the impact of comorbidities on seizure prognosis and treatment.
- To discuss epilepsy classification and terminology.
Main Methods:
- Unstructured review of literature on pediatric epilepsy and comorbidities.
- Analysis of the effects of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric comorbidities.
- Examination of psychotropic medication use in children with epilepsy.
Main Results:
- Neurodevelopmental and psychiatric comorbidities are prevalent in children with seizures.
- These comorbidities negatively affect quality of life and seizure freedom.
- Medication for conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and psychosis is used, but potentially underutilized.
Conclusions:
- Multidisciplinary team assessment is vital for identifying and managing comorbidities in pediatric epilepsy.
- Addressing comorbidities can significantly improve care and outcomes for children with epilepsy.
Abstract:
Children with epilepsy have at least one comorbidity in 80% of cases. This unstructured review provides insights into the most common comorbidities, their effects on seizure prognosis and treatment. We also review the epilepsy terminology and classifications. Neurodevelopmental and psychiatric comorbidities were common in children with seizures and had a negative effect on quality of life, and seizure freedom. Children with seizures were treated with drugs used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression or psychosis, more often than the general population but less often than prevalence rates would suggested. CONCLUSION: Multidisciplinary teams should assess comorbidities in children with epilepsy to improve their care and outcomes.
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