Assessment of learning abilities and school performance of Sudanese children with epilepsy

Patients with epilepsy are at significant risk for cognitive impairment and behavioural abnormalities. The aim of this study was to assess the learning abilities and school performance of epileptic children attending Wad Medani Children Teaching Hospital, Gezira State, Sudan. This was a prospective cross-sectional case-control facility-based study. Data were collected from the hospital database and from school records. A total of 70 patients with epilepsies were recruited as index cases and 70 age and sex-matched non-epileptic patients were included as controls. Both groups underwent comprehensive psychometric assessment. Consensus neurobehavioural diagnoses were made with respect to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. Stanford Binet Test and Battery Scales were used to assess the intelligent quotient (IQ) and learning abilities, respectively. The study population consisted of school aged (5-16 years) children; 48.6% were less than age 10 years. The male: female ratio was 1:1.1. A significant increase in learning difficulties among index cases was recorded compared to controls in all domains. The overall learning difficulties results showed a statistically significant result between index cases and controls, with p value of <0.001. Similarly, a significant reduction in IQ test results was found among the cases compared to controls. In conclusion, significant learning disabilities (LDs), deterioration in school performance and IQs were detected in children with epilepsy. All children with epilepsy should be considered vulnerable to LDs.