Pediatric epilepsy surgery patients show normal psychosocial development at long-term follow-up despite dissatisfying family dynamics

Abstract

Drug-resistant pediatric epilepsy involves unpredictable seizures and long-term medical management. Both factors can alter a child's psychosocial development and the dynamics of the family, to the detriment of patient and family wellbeing. While drug-resistant pediatric epilepsy can be successfully treated by neurosurgery in some cases, the outlook for psychosocial and family functioning after surgery remains unclear. A total of 163 participants across four groups took part in the current study: these were (i) individuals who had undergone surgical treatment of drug-resistant focal seizures approximately five years prior as children, and were now largely adolescents or young adults (‘Patient..