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Chapter 7 - Gender Issues in Childhood- and Adolescence-Onset Epilepsies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 December 2024

By
Arezoo Rezazadeh ,
Katherine Muir  and
Tadeu Fantaneanu
Edited by
Esther Bui  and
P. Emanuela Voinescu
Esther Bui
Affiliation:
Toronto Western Hospital
P. Emanuela Voinescu
Affiliation:
Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
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Summary

Epilepsy remains the most common neurologic disorder in childhood and adolescence, with certain epilepsy syndromes such as childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) and juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) being more common in girls. Psychiatric disorders are a common comorbidity in children with epilepsy, especially two behavioral conditions: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder. In addition, psychosocial issues of stigma, bullying and violence remain potent disruptors of patients’ development at this stage in their lives. Emerging information on how cultural, ethnical and gender diversity may affect care should also be taken into consideration and proactively addressed. As the care of children and adolescents with epilepsy has grown more complex over the past decades, the transition from pediatric to adult care systems needs to become purposeful, such as the medical, psychosocial, educational and vocational needs of young adults with long-term medical conditions are actively

Keywords

epilepsy and adolescencepsychosocialindigenoussexualitytransitionstigma and bullyingepilepsy and culture
Type
Chapter
Information
Women with Epilepsy
A Practical Management Handbook
 , pp. 122 - 133
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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