ADHD in Children with Epilepsy Linked to Greater Cognitive Challenges

Source: Epilepsy & behavior : E&B

Summary

Researchers studied how having both epilepsy and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects the thinking and learning abilities of children under 18 years old. They reviewed 14 studies that looked at children diagnosed with both conditions. The goal was to understand how ADHD might change the cognitive outcomes for these kids compared to those with just epilepsy, just ADHD, or no health issues at all.

The findings showed that children with both epilepsy and ADHD had more significant cognitive challenges than those with only one of the conditions or healthy children. Specifically, these kids had lower scores on tests measuring intelligence and made more mistakes in attention tasks. They also showed greater variability in how quickly they responded to tasks, particularly in areas like motor skills and executive function, which includes planning and organizing.

These results are important because they highlight that having ADHD alongside epilepsy can make cognitive difficulties worse for children. This understanding can help doctors and caregivers identify these challenges early on and create better support strategies for affected children. However, the review is limited to the studies included, and more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects and best ways to help these children.

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