Study examines factors associated with co-occurrence of autism and epilepsy in children

Children with epilepsy have a higher risk of also having autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A new study in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology examined factors associated with the co-occurrence of autism and epilepsy in a large population-based group.

For the study, investigators at the Mayo Clinic compared the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in children with and without epilepsy based on medical records, and they evaluated associated factors including sex, age at autism identification, and intellectual disability. The study included 30,490 children in the Olmsted County, Minnesota birth cohort, of whom 257 (0.84%) had epilepsy diagnosed before 19 years of age.

Autism prevalence was significantly higher among children with epilepsy as compared with children without across all three research and clinical definitions assessed (21.4% versus 3.2% using broad research criteria, 14.0% versus 1.6% using stricter research criteria, and 7.9% versus 0.7% for clinical diagnosis).

Children with epilepsy and autism were more likely to have intellectual disability (56.5% versus 15.4%), were more often female (38.2% versus 25.8%), and were identified with autism at a younger age (7.4 versus 8.7 years) compared with those without autism.

These observations highlight clinically relevant differences within this group and underscore the importance of early recognition of developmental concerns."

Mariya Saify. MBBS, lead author

Senior author Elaine C. Wirrell, MD added that although children with epilepsy are at an elevated risk of autism, recognition can be delayed. "Our findings emphasize 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."