Epilepsy in children with cerebral palsy

Epilepsy occurs in 15-60% of children with cerebral palsy (CP). However, its clinical course is not well defined. This retrospective study reviews the prevalence, nature and prognosis of epilepsy in cerebral palsy. 53 of 133 children with cerebral palsy seen in the neuropediatric clinic in Mashhad emam Reza hospital between 1999 and 2001 had epilepsy. A control group of 70 epileptic children with normal neurodevelopment status was seen during the same period. Epilepsy most commonly affected patients with spastic quadriplegia. When compared with controls, children with cerebral palsy had higher incidence of epilepsy with onset within the first year of age (52.8% vs. 18.5%), a history of neonatal seizures (20.7% vs. 4.2%), polytherapy (76.3% vs. 29.1%) and treatment with second line anti-epileptic drugs (79.2% vs. 23.1%). Thus epilepsy is common in children with CP and the use of new anti-epileptic drugs and surgical treatment might eventually improve both seizure control and quality of life in epileptic children with CP.