In up to 20% of epilepsy patients, seizures may not be controlled despite the use of antiepileptic drugs, either singly or in combination. These individuals are considered to have drug resistant epilepsy. Drug-resistant epilepsy is usually associated with intellectual disability, psychiatric comorbidity, physical injury, sudden unexpected death, and low life quality. Early detection and prediction of drug resistant epilepsy are essential in determining the patient's most appropriate treatment option. This retrospective study aimed to determine the clinical, electroencephalographic, and radiological factors associated with medically intractable childhood seizures. Data regarding 177 patients diagnosed with drug resistant epilepsy were compared with 281 patients with drug responsive epilepsy. Univariate analysis showed that age at seizure onset, having mixed seizure types, history of status epilepticus, history of neonatal seizures, history of both having febrile and afebrile seizures, daily seizures at the onset, abnormality on the first electroencephalogram, generalized epileptic abnormality on electroencephalogram, abnormal neurodevelopmental status, abnormal neuroimaging, having symptomatic etiology were significant risk factors for the development of drug resistant epilepsy (P < 0.05). In multivariable analysis, having mixed seizure types, history of status epilepticus, having multiple seizures in a day, intellectual disability, symptomatic etiology, and MRI abnormality remained significant predictors for developing drug resistant epilepsy. In the course of childhood epilepsy, some clinical features may predict the outcome. Early identification of patients with high risk for drug resistant epilepsy will help plan the appropriate treatment option. Further prospective studies should confirm these findings.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life, and levels of depression and anxiety of children with epilepsy and their families with a healthy control group. Materials and Methods: In this study, 60 epileptic children and their families were included. The data of these patients were compared with 51 healthy children and their families. The Children’s Depression Inventory, Beck Depression and Anxiety Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, KINDL General quality of life scale, KINDL-epilepsy module, and short form-36 were used to determine the depression, anxiety, and quality of life levels of children and parents. Results: Depression and anxiety scale scores of the epilepsy group were statistically higher than the control group (P < .05). In the epilepsy group, the emotional well-being dimension on the KINDL parent scale and the total health, emotional well-being, family, and friends dimensions on the KINDL child scale were statistically lower than the healthy control group (P < .05). Short form-36 scores of the parents of the epilepsy group were statistically lower than the parents of the control group (P < .05). As the KINDL epilepsy quality of life dimension scores increased, the scores of the parental short form-36 quality of life scale scores increased. KINDL parental total scores were statistically lower in those with comorbidities than those without comorbidities. Conclusion: Monitoring for psychiatric comorbidities and quality of life status for both the child and the parents is recommended. Also, it should be emphasized that it would be more beneficial to use self-answered scales when assessing the quality of life of epileptic children. Cite this article as: Ünalp A, Kutlu A, Karaoğlu P, Yılmaz Ü, Çakaloz B. Evaluation of quality of life and psychiatric aspects of children with epilepsy and their families using self-assessment questionnaires. Turk Arch Pediatr. 2022;57(3):282-289.

Context: Brain injuries occurring at a particular time may cause damages in well-defined regions of brain. Perinatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and hypoglycemia are some of the most common types of brain injuries. Neonatal hypoglycemia can cause abnormal myelination in parietal and occipital lobes resulting in parieto-occipital encephalomalacia. There is a small number of studies about clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) features of children with parieto-occipital encephalomalacia. They might have important neurologic sequelae such as cortical visual loss, seizures, and psychomotor retardation. Aims: We aimed to evaluate the causes of parieto-occipital encephalomalacia and evaluate the clinical and electrophysiological features of children with parieto-occipital encephalomalacia. Settings and Design: We evaluated clinical features and EEGs of 27 children with parieto-occipital encephalomalacia. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistics were used. Results: Hospitalization during the neonatal period was the most common cause (88.9%) of parieto-occipital brain injury. Eleven patients (40.7%) had a history of neonatal hypoglycemia. Twenty-three patients (85.2%) had epilepsy and nine of the epileptic patients (39%) had refractory seizures. Most of the patients had bilateral (50%) epileptic discharges originating from temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes (56.2%). However, some patients had frontal sharp waves and some had continuous spike and wave discharges during sleep. Visual abnormalities were evident in 15 (55.6%) patients. Twenty-two (81.5%) had psychomotor retardation. Fine motor skills, social contact and language development were impaired more than gross motor skills. Conclusions: In our study, most of the patients with parieto-occipital encephalomalacia had an eventful perinatal history. Epilepsy, psychomotor retardation, and visual problems were common neurologic complications.

A 14-year-old male presented with paresthesias on the right upper and lower extremities, headache, and vomiting. In addition to worsening paresthesia and weakness on the right side of his body, blurred vision, fever, and skin lesions developed. He also had skin lesions characterized with 3-10 mm papules with a white atrophic center surrounded by pink rim mostly on the trunk and lower extremities. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed chronic subdural effusion and encephalomalacia of the left cerebral hemisphere. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination revealed increased protein levels. Electromyography was consistent with diffuse polyradiculoneuropathy. Skin biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of a rare vasculopathy: Degos disease. A case presenting with chronic subdural effusion, encephalomalacia, elevated CSF protein, and polyradiculopathy should be carefully examined for skin lesions, which may suggest the diagnosis of Degos disease.