Attempt to Suicide in Young Ages with Epilepsy

Payman Sadeghi; Mahshid Mehdizadeh; Gholamreza Zamani

IJ Pediatrics

The Scientific Journal of Growth & Development Research Center

Outlines

Abstract
References
Copyright

Attempt to Suicide in Young Ages with Epilepsy

Author(s):

Payman Sadeghi¹,

Mahshid Mehdizadeh²,

Gholamreza Zamani^1,*

1Department of Pediatrics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2Department of Pediatrics, Shahid Beheshti University Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

IJ Pediatrics:Vol. 22, issue 3; 404-407

Published online:Sep 30, 2012

Article type:Brief Report

Received:May 10, 2011

Accepted:Feb 01, 2012

How to Cite:Payman SadeghiMahshid MehdizadehGholamreza ZamaniAttempt to Suicide in Young Ages with Epilepsy.Iran J Pediatr.22(3):404-407.

Abstract

Objective: The suicidal rate among epileptic patients is up to 5 times more than general population and depression is the most common mood disturbance among them while usually under noticed. This study was performed to determine possible symptoms of psychiatric disorders for suicidal behavior in pediatric patients with epilepsy that had attempted suicide.
Methods: Among medical records of 1169 patients under 17 years of age being admitted to the exclusive university hospital for poisoning in Tehran since April 2006 to Feb 2008 due to attempt to suicide, 31 cases (13 male and 18 female) with mean age 15.8±1.3 years had concomitant epilepsy. Mental status and epilepsy data sheet of these patients were analyzed.
Findings: The psychological evaluation of these 31 cases revealed long lasting symptoms of psychological disorder in 21 (91.4%) cases before their attempt to suicide while only 5(16%) cases had been noticed for psychiatric care and merely 3 of them had been under treatment.
Conclusion: Despite strong correlation between affective disorders and epilepsy it is unfortunately under-diagnosed or undertreated. Since overdose of antiepileptic drugs used for treatment of epilepsy may be lethal, dismissing suicidal behavior can be life threatening.

Keywords

Fulltext

Click here to download PDF.

References

1.
References are available in PDF.

comments