Comparison of Attitude toward Pediatric Idiopathic Convulsive Disorder Between Parents with Epilepic Children and Parents with Healthy Children

Kim, Boong Nyun

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
We conducted this study to investigate the parental attitude toward their children wiht idiopathic convulsive disorder and to compare it with that of parents with healthy children.
METHODS
The parents of children with convulsive disorder were recruited from the outpatient department of pediatric neurology in Seoul National University Hospital in Korea. We excluded patients with mental retardation, pervasive developmental disorder and overt organic brain pathology. The parents of normal students were chosen as control group. Children's sex, age, achievement and socioeconomic status were matched. The author interviewed all the children and their parents and obtained the developmental history and family information. 'Questionnaire for adult's attitude toward children with convulsive disorder' was used to obtain the data about the ideas about epileptic children and their family members from both parents of epileptic and normal children.
RESULTS
First, parents of epileptic children worried too much about the possibility that convulsion made serious damage on physical status of patients. 25% of them believed that even single convulsion could lead to sudden death. Second, as the causes of convulsive disorder, the parents chose brain damage brain pathology worries of children mode of parenting worries of family genetic origin in order of frequency. 40% of them had false concepts that the way of rearing and childen's psychological problems might cause the convulsive disorder. Third, according to the answers of parents of epileptic children, more than 60% of children with convulsive disorder had cognitive, emotional, behavioral and learning problems. Fourth, parents of epileptic children reported behavioral change, emotional disturbance and attentional problems as result of adverse effect of medication. Fifth, Many parents of epileptic children had difficulties in explaining the disease and reasons of taking medication to patients. Sixth, Many parents of epileptic children worried about marriage and employment and reported the several limitations of social lives of parents and patients. The parents of healthy children had more tendency to believe that the convulsive disorder could be one of genetic diseases than parents of epileptic children. They chose the brain pathology-genetic originmode of parenting-brain damage-worries of children-worries of family as the causes of convulsive disorder in order of frequency. The parents of healthy children had overcare about the limitations of children's social activity and difficulties of parents and family members of epileptic children.
CONCLUSION
This study revealed the parents of epileptic children had some overcares and misbelieves about their children's disorder. Also, the parents of healthy children had more distorted ideas about the causes of the convulsive disorder and its impact on epileptic children and their family members. So the mental health professionals should prepare and conduct the comprehensive and effective educational programs for the parents and public members.