RECURRENT SEIZURES AND TEACHERS[ssquote] RATINGS OF BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
Abstract number :
B.06
Submission category :
Year :
2002
Submission ID :
1522
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/7/2002 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Dec 1, 2002, 06:00 AM
Authors :
Joan K. Austin, David W. Dunn, Helena M. Caffrey, Susan M. Perkins, Angela M. McNelis. Environments for Health, Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN; Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN; Department of Medicine,
RATIONALE: Seizures have been found to be associated with behavior problems in children with new-onset seizures. Most past studies have used parents[ssquote] ratings of behavior and little is known about teacher[ssquote]s ratings of behavior. The purpose of this study was to explore the association of seizures and behavior problems in children with new-onset seizures using teachers[ssquote] ratings of behavior. Data were collected three times over 24 months to determine differences between children: with recurrent seizures, without recurrent seizures, and with new-onset asthma. At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to discuss differences in behavior problems at school among three groups of children: those with recurrent seizures, those without recurrent seizues, and those with new-onset asthma.
METHODS: Subjects were 209 children with new-onset seizures and 93 subjects with new-onset asthma. During the 2-year period, 155 (74%) had at least one additional seizure and 54 (26%) children had none. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance to compare differences in behavior problems across three times. Covariates were study site, age of onset, gender, race, caregiver education, and AEDs.
RESULTS: Children experiencing recurring seizures had higher total, internalizing, and externalizing behavior problems scores than children not experiencing recurring seizures (p [lt] .05). Children without recurrent seizures did not differ from the asthma sample. Within the seizure sample, children on AEDs had significantly more behavior problems than children not on AEDs (p = 0.21) after controlling for all covariates.
CONCLUSIONS: The association between seizures and behavior problems was supported using behavior ratings of teachers. Children with new-onset seizures who are receiving AEDs should be assessed for behavior problems in the school setting.
[Supported by: NS22416.]