Epileptic Spasms in Patients With Down Syndrome: Experiences From Caregivers.
Epileptic spasms are the most common type of seizure in infants with Down syndrome; however, the scope of current literature is largely limited to treatment options. We performed a chart review of patients seen at a Down syndrome specialty clinic to identify potential developmental sequelae of Down syndrome and epileptic spasms. We further interviewed parents of the children with Down syndrome and epileptic spasms to identify areas for improvement in counseling, diagnosis, and follow-up. Persistent developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder were highly prevalent in our patients. Caregivers attributed delays in treatment to insufficient counseling and awareness of epileptic spasms. They also identified inadequate emotional support after the diagnosis of the spasms. When counseling parents of infants with Down syndrome, pediatricians should educate about epileptic spasms. If spasms are diagnosed, providing emotional support with frequent follow-up is important. Furthermore, clinicians should monitor for signs of epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder.
['Kats|Daniel J|DJ|0000-0001-7591-6222', 'Patsiogiannis|Vasiliki|V|', 'Skotko|Brian G|BG|']
D000293:Adolescent D017028:Caregivers D002648:Child D002675:Child, Preschool D004314:Down Syndrome D004827:Epilepsy D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007223:Infant D007407:Interviews as Topic D008297:Male D012189:Retrospective Studies D012640:Seizures
seizures developmental delay West syndrome genetics infantile spasms pediatric