Psychiatric Risks are More Common among Kids with Epilepsy

According to a study of the Alfstad, National Centre for Epilepsy at Oslo University Hospital, it has been revealed that psychiatric symptoms are more common among the children with epilepsy. Around 40,000 of the people are suffering from epilepsy. However, the research is failed to explain that how children with epilepsy develop with psychiatric problems.

Some other risk factors for the psychiatric symptoms are low socioeconomic status, living alone, poverty, and some chronic diseases, such as diabetes and asthma.

Although, it has been found that boys had a higher risk of psychiatric problems, as they are more hyperactive and suffer more peer pressure in contrast to girls.

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Breastfeeding While Taking Seizure Drugs May Not Harm Child's IQ, Study Suggests

There's good news for women with epilepsy. Breastfeeding your baby while taking your seizure medication may have no harmful effect on your child's IQ later on, according to a study published in the November 24, 2010, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"While more research is needed with larger numbers of women and their babies, these results are reassuring to women who want to give their babies all the benefits of breastfeeding but also need to remain on their epilepsy medications to avoid devastating seizures," said study author Kimford Meador, MD, of Emory University in Atlanta and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN).

The study followed 194 pregnant women who were taking one epilepsy drug. Of their 199 babies, 42 percent were breastfed. When they were three years old, the children were given IQ tests.

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