Clinical Guidelines: Epilepsy And Neurodevelopment

Neurodevelopmental disorders have high frequency in the general population and are frequently associated with epilepsy. The terminology has had changes, which has made it difficult to agree amongst all specialists. These disorders are mostly not considered diseases but developmental processes that are outdated from the time they are acquired when compared to those of other children. What can be established is that the further away from the average acquisition of a developmental parameter a patient is, the less likely it is to be normal, speaking in terms of development. A problem is calling developmental disorders as immaturity problems as it is an imprecise term and only creates confusion between parents and even among health professionals. The anatomical sites responsible for these developmental parameters are found in different brain areas, so it should not be surprising that they are comorbid in patients who also have various forms of epilepsy. There are specific types of epilepsy that have been associated more with some types of developmental disorders. We analyze what happens in these developmental disorders when they are associated with epilepsy.