Active seizures are associated with reduced adaptive functioning in children with epilepsy

Children with epilepsy are at risk of suboptimal adaptive functioning. Research has not yet established how specific seizure and treatment variables may affect adaptive functioning, which would allow clinicians to better identify at-risk children. This study sought to determine the seizure and treatment variables predictive of adaptive functioning. Forty-six children with epilepsy participated in this study. Using multiple regression, active seizures (one or more seizures in the prior year) significantly predicted scores on the General Adaptive Composite of the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-II. The active seizures variable uniquely explained 19% of the variance in adaptive functioning, with children with active seizures demonstrating significantly poorer adaptive functioning. The number of current AEDs, past AEDs, seizure types, age at seizure onset, and temporal lobectomy were not significant predictors. Post hoc analyses that divided the active seizures group according to seizure frequency in the prior month did not find significant differences in adaptive functioning. The results of this study suggest that children with seizures that are not fully controlled are at greater risk of suboptimal adaptive functioning.