Psychiatric presentation of childhood epilepsy: Case series and review

Abstract

Childhood-onset epilepsy has a varied presentation and may have different etiological factors. A multiaxial diagnostic approach should be used before making treatment and management decisions for any individual patient. It is widely accepted that distinction among primary psychiatric disorders, epilepsy, and nonepileptic seizures is a challenge for physicians. This case series demonstrated the identification of three atypical presentations of seizures in children on the basis of detailed history taking and electroencephalogram findings, despite having normal findings in neurological examination and magnetic resonance imaging. We report three rare cases of atypical presentation in epilepsy in patients with symptoms of episodic hallucinations, rage attacks, and secondary enuresis. Clinically, the diagnosis of epilepsy can be strengthened by paying sufficient attention to detailed history and symptom spectrum of partial epilepsy.

Fronto-temporal Lobe Epilepsy Presenting as Intermittent Outburst of Anger: A Case Report from Eastern Nepal

“…Epilepsy, as a cause of altered behavior, has been described 3,5,6 in different pieces of literature.…”

Psychiatric morbidity in children attending child guidance clinic in a tertiary care teaching hospital

“…31,32 Behavioral problems arising out of Seizure disorder was diagnosed in 12(10.5%) of patients, while epilepsy occurs in 0.5-2% of the general population, the incidence of epilepsy in childhood is more than twice that in the adult population. 33 Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was found in 6 (5.6%) of cases. This study showed less incidence of ADHD than studies by Jayaprakash et al, which found externalizing disorders in 34.09%, with 29.01% having pure hyperkinetic disorder.…”