Sleep and Behavioral Disturbances,in Children with Epilepsy

Abstract

This clinical study was conducted to compare sleep and behavioral disturbances in chidren with epilepsy and non epileptic siblings and the effect of these variants on quality of life in epileptic children aiming at proper control of epilepsy and its comorbidites and better quality of life. This study was conducted at the epilepsy clinic of Ain Shams University hospitals, Cairo, Egypt, 80 children participated in this study and were divided into 2 groups of children, one with epilepsy as case group and the other was their near aged siblings as a control group. Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders affecting about 1% of children . Sleep is a physiological state during which vigilant consciousness is temporarily abolished and responses to environmental stimuli are decreased. Although sleep disorders are frequent, children with epilepsy are at increased risk due to a number of biological and social factors, Epileptiform discharges may be activated by sleep; Epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs may alter sleep architecture,