Children with epilepsy have a fifth higher risk of having autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a new study in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology says.
Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in the US used the medical records of 30,490 children from Minnesota for their study. Of them, 257 had been diagnosed with epilepsy before the age of 19.
The researchers found that there was a higher rate of autism diagnosed among the children with epilepsy (24.1%) than those without (3.1%).
They also found that the children with epilepsy and autism were more likely to also have learning disabilities (56.5% versus 15.4%), be female (38.2% versus 25.8%) and have their autism diagnosed earlier in life (seven years and five months versus eight years and eight months), than children without epilepsy.
The study explained that an earlier diagnosis of autism was linked to worse symptoms.
Lead author Mariya Saify said: “These observations highlight clinically relevant differences within this group and underscore the importance of early recognition of developmental concerns.”
Senior author Dr Elaine Wirrell stressed that even though children with epilepsy have a higher risk of also having autism, it is still under recognised. She said: “Our findings emphasise the importance of screening for autism in this population to support earlier diagnosis and timely intervention, both of which are key to improving long-term outcomes.”
The researchers conclude that early screening for neurobehavioural disorders in children with epilepsy is necessary to better manage the conditions with early and tailored treatment.
Autism and epilepsy
Children with epilepsy are more likely to also have autism than children without epilepsy. We share some facts about epilepsy and autism.
- More than 700,000 adults and children in the UK have autism. While the rate overall, reported by the National Autistic Society is around one in 100, the rate of autism in children is one in 57 children, according to the University of Cambridge.
- According to NHS England, 12.1% of autistic people have epilepsy, compared with 1% of the general population.
- NHS England also says 6.3% of people with epilepsy have autism, based on a study from 2018. The above study suggests this number is 24.1% in children in their group.
- Research shows that people who have one of the conditions and learning disabilities are at an even higher risk of having the other condition.
- Autism may make it hard for some people to explain experiences or sensations linked to epilepsy to someone else, and some types of seizures could be missed as sensory issues to do with their autism.
- To get an autism diagnosis, you need to be referred by a professional, such as a GP or a school special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) and have an assessment during one or more appointment. The NHS has more information about what the assessment could involve.
Autism and epilepsy experiences
In 2024, Claudia shared how epilepsy and autism affect her life. She said: “Living with epilepsy and autism is harder than most people think – even if it is just one of them. A lot of what other people take for granted, we do not.
“Those with epilepsy can’t drive in some cases, always have to think about how travel vaccines and other medications interact with their daily medication, and we get more tired due to our medication. Those with autism don’t take anything social for granted. We spend most of each day navigating a social world that isn’t designed for us.
“A lot goes hand in hand in terms of autism and epilepsy, but for me, the key things are tiredness affecting my ability to socialise and cope on a daily basis, the side effects of my medication (mainly anxiety and depression) making the anxiety due to my autism worse, negative comments that people have said about me, making me go into my shell and not wanting to talk to anyone, and feeling left out and picked on due to my disabilities, as well as misunderstood.”
Last year, Nic Adamson, Epilepsy Action trustee, shared her experiences with her epilepsy and going to hospital for a stereo EEG (SEEG). She shared a diary of the experience, saying that someone like her, who also has autism, may like to know the details of what would be involved if they were considering the procedure.
With having the procedure cancelled three times, and then, once it happened, spending 12 days in hospital without always knowing what was in store for each day, things could get difficult for Nic.
She said: “Times like this, I think being autistic makes the unclear plan to fix things more stressful.”
There’s more information about epilepsy and learning disabilities on the Epilepsy Action website.
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