Epilepsy and education: a nationwide cohort study

Childhood-onset epilepsy has been linked to poor school performance but limited evidence exists for long-term educational achievement. We examined educational achievement from adolescence into adulthood in individuals with childhood-onset epilepsy compared with the general population.

In this nationwide population-based cohort study using Danish registers, we included 1 195 138 individuals born between 1987 and 2005 and followed through 2023. Epilepsy before age 15 years was identified from hospital diagnoses and antiseizure medication prescriptions (n=11 758). Individuals with epilepsy were matched on sex and age to reference individuals without epilepsy, with additional propensity score matching on perinatal and parental factors. Outcomes included completion of primary school, ninth grade mean grades and attainment of higher educational levels. Adjusted ORs (aORs), mean grade differences and adjusted incidence rate ratios were estimated using multivariable regression models. Educational trajectories were assessed from age 15 to 35 years.

Compared with reference individuals, those with epilepsy had higher odds of not completing primary school (aOR 3.0, 95% CI 2.8 to 3.1) and lower grades in mathematics (-0.9, 95% CI -0.9 to -0.8) and language (-0.6, 95% CI -0.6 to -0.5). Educational attainment rates were reduced by 50%-56% across all higher levels, and only 9.3% of individuals with epilepsy attained the highest educational level versus 19.5% of matched reference individuals by age 35 years.

Childhood-onset epilepsy was associated with significantly lower primary school completion rates, grades and long-term educational attainment. Targeted assessment of academic capacity, interventions and support are needed to optimise outcomes for young people with epilepsy.