Convulsion in children with developmental disabilities: a hospital-based study

Objectives: To describe the epidemiological risk factors and to determine the likely underlying causes associated with developmentally disabled children with convulsion.
Patients and Methods: Descriptive study (Longitudinal hospital based study) where children with convulsion in developmental disabilities disorder were enrolled in this study. All children admitted to pediatric department or attending the outpatient clinic in Misurata Teaching hospital >2months -15 years of age in the period between January 2012-December 2012 are included in the study. Febrile convulsions and convulsions in developmentally normal children were excluded from the study. The study sample was 55 children with age ranging from three month to 15 years. Prospectively collected data on cases of convulsion with developmental disabilities include; history, clinical examination, investigations, and treatment.
Results: The commonest underling cause of developmental disabilities were neonatal causes, 29 patients (53%) including perinatal asphyxia, and prematurity. The neurodegenerative diseases (13%), congenital anomalies (9%), CNS infection (7%). Regarding categorization of patient according to age, we had 26 patient (47%) <36 month, between 36-72 month 13 patient (24%), and older than 72 month 16 patients (29%). The mean age of patients was 54.4 month (approximately 4.5 year) with standard deviation 46.4. 42 patients (76%) their onset of convulsion was started below one year of age and12 patients (22%) develop status epileptics at hospital.
Conclusion: Among all convulsion-associated variables, the underlying cause (etiology) plus the onset of convulsion, when convulsion begins at an early age, are seems the best predictor of developmental disabilities.