F. W. Hulscher-Weenink: Behavioural problems of children with epilepsy
When during my training as a psychiatrist I was working in the children's cottage of the Instituut voor Epilepsiebestrijding, I was confronted, besides a whole range of epileptic manifestations, with a great number of behaviourial problems. On closer examination the behavioural problems could be subdivided for the greater part into three parts, viz:
a. those which seem directly due to a cerebral affection or treatment of same;
b. those which can be considered a reaction to a chronically somatic suffering;
c. those which cannot be considered a manifest epilepsy.
The main part of the behavioural problems, as reported by parents, school or refering institution, appeared to be reactive patterns. Possibly these may be 'nipped in the bud' by way of instruction of the patient and his immediate surroundings by the therapist, so that a neurotic development can be prevented. As for this last group good differential diagnosis and adequate assistante may prevent children from being wrongly treated for epilepsy during a number of years.