MONDAY, April 25, 2005 (HealthDay News) -- Surgery reduces seizures and increases IQ in children with epilepsy, according to a German study in a recent issue of Epilepsia.
The study tracked 50 preschool children for several years after they had surgery to treat epilepsy. A year after surgery, 82 percent of the children showed stable improvements in development and three of them showed gains of more than 15 points in IQ. Only seizure-free children showed gains in IQ.
"This study on the long-term cognitive outcome of preschool children who had epilepsy surgery shows that children with a shorter duration of epilepsy, more localized etiologies, and a seizure-free outcome have the best chance for improving their cognitive function two to three years after a successful operation. The question [now] is to provide data to determine ideal timing of surgical treatment," study corresponding author Dr. Ingrid Tuxhorn said in a prepared statement.
"The questions answered in our study have a significant everyday value for counseling parents whether their child should undergo epilepsy surgery," Tuxhorn said.
More information
The Epilepsy Foundation has more about epilepsy in children.
