Epilepsy is a long-lasting neurological disorder that requires constant supervision and treatment. It is estimated that approximately 300,000 children and adolescents have epilepsy in the United States. Having any chronic medical condition - including epilepsy - has physical, psychological, emotional and financial impacts in both the child and their family. In this setting, emotional problems, such as depression and anxiety can also occur, and create a very poor quality of life if not properly addressed.

Depression is frequently seen in individuals with epilepsy. In fact, depression and suicide is higher in epileptic individuals compared to general population. A recent study indicates that depression can also extend to the child’s school performance. From the results of this study, children with epilepsy and depression did poorer in school compared to children without epilepsy.

Therefore, parents must be aware of their children’s school performance and frequently be in touch with their child’s teachers and healthcare provider. If needed, children with symptoms of depression must be evaluated immediately and treated in order to help their school performance – as well as enhance their quality of life.

Febrile seizures, also referred to as fever fit or febrile convulsions, are typically set off by a sudden increase in body temperature. It a benign condition that is most commonly seen in younger children ranging between the ages of 3 months and 6 years. It is estimated that 2 to 5% of children in the United States are affected by febrile seizures. While many children outgrow this and do not require long-term treatment, a recent study in Acta Paediatrica suggests that zinc supplementation may be able to help febrile seizures. Children with febrile seizures usually present with generalized motor convulsions that last for short period of time. Children with a family history of febrile seizures or a mutation in different ion channels are also more susceptible to febrile seizures than others. Certain trace elements like zinc play a role in brain function and development and prevention of neurological diseases. Febrile seizures may also benefit from this. Zinc is found in foods rich in meat, eggs, seafood (especially oysters) and from non-animal sources (whole-grain cereals, wheat germ, nuts, and legumes). The investigators of this study found that low concentration levels of zinc in the blood and cerebral spinal fluid were found in children experiencing febrile seizures. So, finding suggests that zinc may play a role in preventing febrile seizures. Although the results of this study are interesting - don't run out and start giving your child zinc supplements just yet. We need more information about zinc and its relationship to febrile seizures in order to further explore this intriguing finding.

Dopamine is chemical that produced in different parts of brain and plays an important function in brain - including movement, cognition, and motivation. Studies have also shown a link between dopamine and certain neurological disorders.

For instance, a lack of dopamine can cause symptoms consistent with Parkinson’s disease and an overproduction of dopamine in the brain can cause symptoms consistent with schizophrenia. It is also thought that, since dopamine may play a role in certain neurological diseases, it may play a role in epilepsy, too.

Finding the role that dopamine plays in the epilepsy has been very challenging. However, new information indicates that, in certain types of epilepsy, dopamine could contribute to some of the symptoms seen in these individuals. This is a very early finding in epilepsy research and requires a lot of more work, but researchers are hopeful about this exciting new finding that hopefully open more doors as how to treat this challenging condition.

Reduction in bone mass, or osteoporosis, is a common medical condition that's observered in the middle aged and elderly population. In fact, it is estimated that over the 10 million individuals in the United States are affected by reduced bone mass. Although these individuals are more susceptible to fractures in the spine or hip, bone fractures can occur anywhere and can be debilitating.

There are multiple risk factors associated with osteoporosis, including estrogen deficiency, advanced age, low calcium intake and lack of physical activity. However, there is another risk factor that can now be added to this list - individuals with epilepsy and taking antiepileptic drugs.

Not everyone with epilepsy is at a greater risk bone loss due to antiepileptic drugs. Certain antiepileptic drugs, such as phenytoin and phenobarbital, are associated with greater bone loss. In fact, a recent study published in Neurology suggests elderly men taking antiepileptic drugs are at an even greater risk of bone loss. So, any older men out there taking these medications should also be sure to schedule a bone density test and talk to their healthcare provider about their concerns.