How common is the misdiagnosis of epilepsy in people with learning disabilities?
Epilepsy is a major issue for people with learning disabilities. The National epilepsy society suggest that around 30% of people with mild to moderate learning disability also have epilepsy and the...
View ArticleSystematic review finds much higher rates of chronic health conditions in...
This systematic review of prevalence rates of chronic health conditions in children with intellectual disability found 2,994 relevant studies published between 1996 to 2008. 31 studies were included...
View ArticleFeatures of epilepsy in autism identified in long-term follow up study
This long-term follow-up study set out to better characterise the features and correlates of epilepsy in individuals with autism. The authors point out that few long term follow up studies have been...
View ArticleAdults with learning disabilities and epilepsy have increased risk for...
The authors of this study set out to investigate the influence of epilepsy on the development of psychiatric disorders in adults with learning disabilities. The researchers measured psychiatric...
View ArticleEpilepsy in learning disability guidelines published
There are a number of changes underway in the way services for people with epilepsy are organised and delivered, and this new guideline includes a number of recommendations on service provision, the...
View ArticleCognitive behavioural therapy used as treatment for psychogenic non-epileptic...
Non-epileptic seizures can have a major impact on the quality of life of people affected. Those with an organic, physical cause may be relatively easy to diagnose, and if the underlying cause can be...
View ArticleFor Connor: Day 62 out of #107days
. Here at the National Elf Service, we are committed to highlighting and discussing evidence based practice. Our usual approach is to focus posts around a piece of recently published research, but this...
View ArticleWithdrawing sodium valproate reduced aggression in young man with learning...
There is considerable evidence that people with learning disabilities in residential settings are prescribed anti-psychotic medication to help reduce behaviours that challenge the service. However,...
View ArticlePsychiatric comorbidity increases the risk of premature mortality in epilepsy
There is a back to school feeling in the air in the Woodland this week, and so this comes to you with the help of my shiny new yellow pencil case. Epilepsy affects around 70 million people around the...
View ArticlePsychiatric illnesses and some chronic physical illnesses are associated with...
Last month, the Department of Health published the ‘Closing the Gap’ report, which highlighted the importance of better integration of physical and mental health care at every level. The report...
View ArticleRates of psychosis in epilepsy may not be as high as previously reported,...
For many years, psychiatry has highlighted that people with epilepsy appear to have an elevated risk for psychosis. However, studies exploring this relationship (of which there are many) seem to...
View ArticleWhy multi-agency working, not accommodation type, is the key to better...
Around half of all people with a learning disability have epilepsy and there are significant concerns about the impact of non-compliance with prescribed medications, which is linked with increased...
View ArticleIncreased risk of mortality in people with learning disabilities and...
Epilepsy affects approximately 22% of people with learning disabilities, compared to approximately 1% of the general population. Here, Silvana Mengoni looks at a systematic review of the literature...
View ArticleService responses to people with learning disabilities and epilepsy
Laura Bennett highlights a recent systematic review, which finds very limited evidence to help inform service responses to people with intellectual disabilities with epilepsy. The post Service...
View ArticleAnnual health checks may reduce emergency hospital admissions for preventable...
Pauline Heslop summarises a UK primary care study that shows how emergency hospital admissions for preventable conditions can be reduced in people with learning disabilities who receive annual health...
View Article