[Epilepsy, anticonvulsive treatment and child psychiatric conspicuousness]

Seventy-nine children suffering from epileptic seizures who were seen at a clinic for child and adolescent psychiatry for behavior disorders were compared with a control group from the same clinic matched by age, sex and IQ. Significant differences were found between the two groups in the percentages diagnosed as having "no psychiatric disorder", "neurotic or emotional disorder" and "specific disorder following brain damage". Neither the type nor the frequency of epileptic seizures was found to have an influence on the type of psychiatric disturbance. Only a small proportion of the children with epilepsy (12%) had psychiatric symptoms, which if present were compatible with the diagnosis "organic psychosyndrome". No abnormal psychosocial situations were found to be specific for epilepsy, but the type of medication (especially barbiturates) had a significant influence on the incidence of conduct disorders.