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American Journal of  Medical 
Science and Innovation (AJMSI) 

Pediatric Epilepsy and its Health Conditions in UAE: A Review Article
Haitham ELsayed Elsadek1*

Volume 3 Issue 1, Year 2024
ISSN: 2836-8509 (Online)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54536/ajmsi.v3i1.2539
https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmsi

Article Information ABSTRACT

Received: February 10, 2024

Accepted: March 24, 2024

Published: March 28, 2024

Epilepsy is one of  the major public health concerns in Arab countries, as it contains a total 
of  80% of  cases worldwide. There are two age peaks for onset: childhood and adulthood, 
but children experience the highest burden. Epilepsy in childhood can have an impact on 
educational performance as well as psychological and social interaction. Epileptic patients 
are also susceptible to a wide range of  other frequent health issues. The co-morbidities often 
cause more burdens and difficulties than the seizures themselves. Pathologically, epilepsy 
is of  three types: acquired, idiopathic, and developmental or genetic origin. The disease is 
based on glutamate and GABA excitation and inhibition, respectively. EEG, MRI, PET, 
SPECT, and CT scan are among the main diagnostic procedures available for the treatment. 
This review covered all the research studies published in peer-reviewed journals on Web of  
Science between 2014 and 2024. It focused on seeking a better understanding of  epilepsy, 
its kinds, accessible therapies, and co-morbidities by providing significant insights that can 
benefit the UAE’s healthcare system. EEG and MRI are the two effective techniques used 
for epilepsy treatment. The UAE healthcare system should focus on adopting the genetic 
basis of  the disease for a precise and targeted treatment.

Keywords
Children, Epilepsy, EEG, 
Generalized Seizures, MRI

1 Alzahra Hospital Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Al Barsha & Dubai Health Authority, P. O. Box 1853, Al Karama, Opposite Burjoman
  Center, Bur Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
* Corresponding author’s e-mail: dr_hytham3000@yahoo.com

INTRODUCTION
Epilepsy is known as a brief  recurrence of  symptoms and 
indicators brought on by erratic, synchronous, or excessive 
neuronal activity in the human brain (Hussein et al., 2018; 
Naseer, 2022). Several uncontrollable body movements, 
either the whole body or a specific body part, can cause 
epilepsy. Extreme or unusual electrical charge disruptions 
in the various parts of  the brain cause epileptic seizures 
ranging from brief  attention spans to protracted spasms 
(Panebianco et al., 2016). Undesirable clinical features can 
generally follow epileptic seizures. Patients experience 
neurological, behavioural, and emotional consequences 
from these seizures, particularly if  they recur frequently 
(Swanson et al., 2024). Even though epilepsy is one of  the 
oldest known conditions in the world, dating back to 4000 
BC in written records, the general public’s perspective of  
the condition has not changed much over time. It is still 
dominated by myths and incorrect notions (Kaculini et al., 
2021). Epileptic patients face prejudice and social stigma, 
misunderstandings, and unfavourable views about the 
condition in general, which may avert these people from 
getting treatment and living self-assured lives (Anwar et 
al., 2020). 
Epilepsy is defined as a chronic, non-communicable brain 
disorder characterized by neurobiological, cognitive, 
psychological, and social implications, as well as seizure 
recurrences by abnormal electrical activity of  the brain 
(Beghi, 2020; Tenney, 2020). Pediatric epilepsy, the 
term used to describe the disease when it appears in the 
pediatric population, is a complex neurological disorder 
that covers a diverse range of  seizure types. Seizures can 
be apparent as staring spells, convulsions, subtle facial 
twitches, or short lapses in consciousness. An epileptic 
seizure is a brief  episode of  signs and symptoms brought 

on by abnormally high or synchronized brain neuronal 
activity based on guidelines of  the International League 
Against Epilepsy (Fisher et al., 2014), according to 
pediatric research that uses the International Classification 
of  Epileptic Seizures, (Perucca et al., 2018; Schubert-Bast 
et al., 2023). 
To understand pediatric epilepsy, a thorough knowledge 
of  age-specific parameters must be required because 
seizures can appear in various ways depending on the 
age of  the child. Infants may show modest symptoms 
like cyclic eye movements, while older kids may have 
more apparent convulsions (Manokaran et al., 2024). 
Besides clinical issues, children with pediatric epilepsy 
may have significant challenges to their social, cognitive, 
and emotional development (Naseer, 2022). Seizures can 
affect a child’s learning, memory, and focus, adversely 
affecting academic performance and general quality of  
life. Moreover, social isolation and psychological issues 
for the children and their families might be intensified by 
the stigma attached to epilepsy (Clifford et al., 2023). The 
present study aimed to enhance the understanding of  
epilepsy, its types, available treatments, and co-morbidities 
by contributing valuable insights that can improve the 
UAE’s healthcare system.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Types of  Epilepsy 
Generalized Seizure Epilepsy: Generalized seizure 
epilepsy is caused by a widespread, excessive electrical 
discharge that simultaneously affects both the brain 
hemispheres. When the entire brain is involved, there may 
be a rhythmic, whole body jerking with stiff  limbs, loose 
muscle tone, and blink-and-stare symptoms. Generalized 
seizure epilepsy is divided into (Guerrini et al., 2019):



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Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy
Idiopathic generalized epilepsy, the most prevalent type 
of  epilepsies in children and teenagers, is characterized 
by distinct seizure patterns, onset age, and distinctive 
electroencephalogram (EEG) abnormalities. About 
15-20% of  all epilepsies are classified as idiopathic 
generalized epilepsies (IGEs), and a majority of  them are 
also known as genetic generalized epilepsies (GGEs). 

Cryptogenic Generalized Epilepsy
Cryptogenic generalized epilepsy is defined as seizures 
whose genesis is unclear but thought to be symptomatic. 
Almost 40% of  all adult-onset cases have cryptogenic 
epilepsy, with a small percentage in the pediatric age 
group (Chow & Poon, 2022). Anti-epileptic medications 
are generally used for the treatment of  many epilepsy 
cases, and 50% of  patients can live a seizure-free life after 
the treatment. However, the prognosis of  cryptogenic 
epilepsy is unclear, and despite intensive therapy, seizures 
return frequently. The likelihood of  recurrence is 48% 
after two years for cryptogenic seizures with an abnormal 
EEG. 

Symptomatic Generalized Epilepsy
Symptomatic epilepsies are focal or diffuse brain 
abnormalities and are classified by numerous etiological 
classifications, including structural, genetic, metabolic, 
immunological, infectious, and unknown.

Focal Seizure Epilepsy
Focal seizures are triggered by an aberrant electrical 
discharge in any brain hemisphere. These seizures are 
further divided based on how they affect the child’s 
memory, consciousness, and memory. Partial seizure 
is another name for focal seizure epilepsy. According 
to population-based studies, up to 60% of  all seizures 
(Specchio et al., 2022). It is crucial to characterize the 
symptoms and indications of  focal seizures. Brain trauma, 
infections, strokes, and tumours are the leading causes of  
focal seizures and epilepsy. Only a small portion of  the 
brain is affected, so a child is fully conscious during a 
seizure. The common types of  focal seizure epilepsies 
are:

Gelastic Epilepsy
Gelastic epilepsy is characterized by rare epileptic 
symptoms represented by fits of  stereotyped laughing 
or smiles that last for less than a minute. These laughs 
are unprovoked and not triggered by external factors. 
The primary aetiology of  gelastic epilepsy is its well-
established correlation with hypothalamic hamartoma in 
children. The seizures of  gelastic epilepsy are started with 
high frequency in childhood, early puberty, and general 
cognitive impairment (Mirandola et al., 2023). 

Temporal Epilepsy
The majority of  focal seizures started in the temporal 
lobe region of  the brain fall under the category of  

temporal epilepsy. These seizures are divided into mesial 
and neocortical or lateral temporal epilepsy based on 
involved neural circuity (Maizuliana et al., 2020). Seizures 
with mesial temporal epilepsy originate from the 
amygdala, entorhinal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, and 
hippocampal regions. The temporal neocortex, parietal 
and occipital junctions, and the associative sensory areas 
(language, hearing, and vision) are the brain regions 
implicated with neocortical temporal epilepsy. Apart 
from neurological aspects, psychological co-morbidities 
such as anxiety, inter-ictal dysphoria, and depression 
with cognitive, behavioural, and learning impairment are 
frequently observed in temporal epilepsy, especially in the 
pediatric population (Vinti et al., 2021).

Mechanism of  Epilepsy
Epilepsy, the most prevalent neurological condition, is 
characterized by recurring seizures. Long-term recurrent 
seizures may result in mental illnesses and cognitive 
impairment, which can negatively impact the ability 
to social engagement and work opportunities of  an 
epileptic patient (Chen et al., 2020). Although the exact 
mechanism of  epilepsy is still unknown, it is generally 
considered a self-facilitated pathological process brought 
on by brain injury that eventually causes dysfunction 
of  ionic pathway, nerve damage, inflammation, mossin 
fibrosis, and synaptic plasticity (Gan & Südhof, 2020). 
Many researchers have demonstrated that over-excitation 
of  N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) results 
in neuronal death by increasing the levels of  aspartate 
and glutamate in various neurological conditions such 
as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and Parkinson’s 
disease (Chen et al., 2022; Essiz et al., 2021; Fricker et al., 
2018; Singh & Panda, 2024). In central nervous system, 
NMDAR is the primary excitatory receptor involved in 
the synapses of  glutamatergic neurons and GABAergic 
interneurons (Chen et al., 2022; Hanada, 2020). NMDARs 
are hetero-tetramers found in the brain that are generally 
made up of  two GluN1 subunits and four different 
subunits of  GluN2 (GluN2A-D), or a combination of  
GluN2 and two different GluN3 (GluN3A and 3B) 
subunits. 
Recent findings indicate a strong connection between the 
NMDAR subunit encoding genes and epilepsy. Human 
epilepsy may result from the genetic abnormalities of  
NMDAR involving the GRIN1, GRIN2A, and GRIN2B 
mutations with language and minor speech delay and 
cognitive impairment (Lemke et al., 2013; Sivakumar et al., 
2022; Xu et al., 2019; Xu & Luo, 2018). The mutations in 
GRIN1 encode the subunit GluN1, significantly altering 
the neuronal activity and leading to various epileptic 
disorders in adults and children (Fry et al., 2018; Wyllie et 
al., 2013). The gene GRIN2A, which encodes GluN2A 
subunits, is considered epileptogenic and responsible for 
Landau-Kleffner syndrome, benign epilepsy, and atypical 
partial epilepsy  (Elmasri et al., 2022). Over 30% of  
GRIN2B variations have epilepsy, while 70% of  GRIN2A 
variations lead to epilepsy development (Myers et al., 2019).



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Prevalence & Incidence of  Pediatric Epilepsy 
About 50 million people of  any age, gender, ethnicity, 
or social background are affected by epilepsy worldwide, 
according to a recent report by WHO on Global Disease 
Burden (Gotlieb et al., 2023). In the general population 
at any given moment, between 4 and 10 out of  every 
1000 persons are thought to have active epilepsy (Trinka 
et al., 2023). Approximately 5 million individuals receive 
an epilepsy diagnosis each year worldwide. The variations 
in the prevalence of  epilepsy are not attributed to the 
particular contents but rather to the economic condition 
of  nations and the corresponding healthcare system 
standards. The incidence of  epilepsy is twice as high in 
low and middle-income countries as it is in high-income 
nations. Each year, 49 out of  every 100,000 individuals are 
diagnosed with epilepsy in high-income nations, and the 
number may reach 139 per 100,000 in nations with low and 
moderate income (J. S. Miller et al., 2024; Vergonjeanne 
et al., 2021). The difference in the incidence is primarily 
because different etiologies, such as infections, prenatal 
insults, and head trauma, have other effects. Epilepsy is 
the most prevalent chronic neurological illness that ruins 
people’s lives, especially when seizures are severe and 
occur uncontrollably (J. S. Miller et al., 2024; Perucca et 
al., 2014).
With the prevalence rates ranging from 12% to 41%, 
epilepsy has been associated with a higher risk of  mental 
illness. The most common mental co-morbidity in 
epilepsy patients is mood disorders, with the incidences 
of  depression and recurrent seizures reported to be 11% 
and 60% (Alsaadi et al., 2015). According to an estimate 
from 2010, 724,500 people in Arab countries have 
epilepsy, with the incidence rates of  0.9 in Saudi Arabia, 
6.5 in Iran, and 12 in Sudan per 1000 (Al Habbal et al., 
2021; Spiciarich et al., 2019).

METHODS AND MATERIALS
Search Strategy
This review article included recent research studies and 
reviews of  publications and articles relating to epilepsy in 
pediatric patients. The main focus of  this review was on 
what is pediatric epilepsy, available diagnostic treatments 
in UAE, and the associated health problems like ADHD 
and other co-morbidities. Data was acquired from online 
databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Science 
Direct, IEE, Web of  Science, NCBI, Hindawi, BioMEd, 
Research Gate, MEDLINE, and EMBASE.
A literature search was conducted to find papers on 
the incidence, causes, therapies, and risks of  epilepsy in 
children and adolescents for this study. Studies including 
keywords like “epilepsy,” “pediatric epilepsy,” “types of  
epilepsy,” “prevalence of  epilepsy in UAE,” “diagnosis 
of  epilepsy,” “pharmacological and non-pharmacological 
treatments,” “epidemiological factors of  epilepsy,” 
“co-morbidities or impact on epilepsy management,” 
“effectiveness of  treatments” were included from last 10 
years between 2014 and 2024. The boolean (AND, OR) 

and proximity (NEAR, NEXT, WITHIN) operators were 
used to combine the search terms.
At first, databases were searched for relevant publications, 
and then text words were analyzed and included in the 
title, abstract, and index keywords of  articles. A second 
search was performed using all the found keywords, 
index terms, and MeSH terms for MEDLINE across 
the online databases. Recent studies were discovered by 
looking through the reference list of  studies, papers, and 
publications using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Google 
to find the relevant data. The search terms were looked 
up from fully accessible articles in the titles, abstracts, 
and whole texts. This is a review article; therefore, not 
all the data regarding pediatric epilepsy management and 
prevention has been provided entirely. Thus, emphasis 
was given to including the most important and relevant 
studies in this review.

Inclusion Criteria
After considering the relevant research, the titles were 
filtered using the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Only 
those studies already published in peer-reviewed journals 
and conference papers were included. These studies were 
focused on improving the understanding of  the research 
criteria. 

• All the research articles published in peer-reviewed 
journals in the English language were included.

• Research studies discussing epilepsy, pediatric 
epilepsy, and its types were considered part of  this study.

• Research studies discussing the prevalence, incidence, 
and risks of  epilepsy were included.

• Review studies conducted in epilepsy focusing on the 
UAE and Arab nations were considered.

• Studies evaluating the diagnostic criteria were focused.
• Research focused on pharmacological and non-

pharmacological treatments were also included. 
• This study included data from a literature review, 

review articles, research studies, overview studies, and 
case studies on UAE.

Exclusion Criteria
Studies that fulfil any given conditions were excluded 
from this review;

• Papers written in languages other than English were 
excluded.

• Research with no supporting evidence for 
predetermined findings

• Studies whose goal had nothing to do with pediatric 
epilepsy.

• Duplicated studies were not considered.
• Studies containing data outside the Arab nations were 

also not considered
• The study did not include review articles with study-

related titles but unrelated material.
• Papers that did not discuss the prevalence and 

risk factors of  pediatric epilepsy in the UAE were also 
excluded.



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DISCUSSION
Diagnosis of  Epilepsy
Most epileptic patients can lead normal and healthy lives 
with proper care and diagnosis, but some suffer from 
severe mental problems. Therefore, regular healthcare 
may be required (Asnakew et al., 2022). Early diagnosis 
may help improve patients’ medical condition, but 75% 
of  patients still do not receive the proper care in low-
income nations compared to 10% in developed countries 
(Tana et al., 2024). Various diagnostic methods are 
used, including electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetic 
resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) 
scan, positron emission tomography (PET), single 
photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and 
genetic testing (Acharya et al., 2015; Elger & Hoppe, 2018; 
Lemoine et al., 2023). Blood testing is also used to describe 
the etiology of  toxic and metabolic encephalopathies, and 
other methods are also used to identify the false negative 
results and helpful in diagnostic confirmations. 
EEG is considered the most effective method for 
diagnosing epilepsy as it helps to identify focal or 
generalized seizures and rule out epilepsy syndrome 
(Benbadis et al., 2020). However, CT scans have a 
detection rate of  30% for focal seizures. Neuroimaging is 
critically important in evaluating epilepsy, with progress in 
MRI technology and acquisition protocols improving the 
accuracy of  identifying epileptogenic lesions (Goodman 
& Szaflarski, 2021). Structural MRI is also important for 
identifying epileptogenic lesions, but there are chances of  
false negatives in 15-30% of  patients with refractory focal 
epilepsy (Bernasconi & Bernasconi, 2022).
PET and SPECT are used for functional imaging that 
helps identify epileptogenic zones and allow pre-surgical 
evaluation (Juhász & John, 2020). Genetic testing is 
essential to find the cause of  some epilepsy types, but 
it has limitations of  high cost and lack of  availability 
(Striano & Minassian, 2020). PET and SPECT imaging 
helps in localizing the area of  the cortex responsible for 
the initiation of  seizures, especially in patients with focal 
epilepsy who have a normal MRI, multiple abnormalities, 
or inconsistencies between MRI and EEG (Brinkmann 
et al., 2021).

Treatments 
Non Pharmacological Treatments 
First aid
First aid treatment refers to the assistance of  someone 
to the patient in managing the circumstances at the time 
of  epileptic seizure. The stigma and unfavourable attitude 
towards those who have epilepsy is more challenging 
than the disease itself. People seem scared when they 
see someone experiencing an epileptic seizure due to 
the associated misconception. The most crucial thing is 
to remain composed and assist the sufferer because it is 
proven from the studies that with the right instructions 
and training, patients and their families can easily control 
or manage epileptic seizures (Cross et al., 2022). There is 
no need to call an ambulance in epileptic seizures because 

it is not an emergency. Therefore, self-management 
training is the most beneficial for patients in managing 
their seizures independently and will also increase their 
confidence (Wiles et al., 2023). It is seen that cyanosis 
can be caused in some patients due to respiratory muscle 
paralysis, but it is a momentary condition and returns to 
normal once the seizure stops. Therefore, the patient’s 
heart rate, blood glucose level, and respiration must be 
assessed when the seizure duration is over (Anwar et al., 
2020). It is advisable to keep the patient relaxed and calm 
after the seizure. The patient may sleep for hours or even 
a day following the seizure due to the restlessness of  the 
seizure attack (Sman, 2023). 

Ketogenic Diet
A ketogenic diet is rich in fats, low in carbohydrates, 
and sufficient protein.  Ketone bodies, such as beta 
hydroxyl butyrate and acetoacetate, are produced from 
the metabolism of  high fats in the body. As a non-
pharmacological therapy, ketone bodies show promising 
results even when tested compared to new anti-epileptic 
medications (Chan et al., 2023). It is mostly utilized as 
a treatment for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy or 
for those who are unable to have a surgical operation. 
Ketone diet therapy is not successful for patients having 
problems with fatty acid metabolism and oxidation; 
therefore, a complete examination must be carried out for 
all these problems (Anwar et al., 2020). Several researchers 
prove that the ketone diet reduces the frequency of  
epileptic seizures in about 30-40% of  children due 
to its anticonvulsive properties, affecting both the 
neurotransmitters and neuronal membrane (Cicek 
& Sanlier, 2023; El-Rashidy et al., 2023). In neuronal 
membranes, the ketogenic diet modifies the vesicular 
glutamate transporters that are chloride ion-dependent 
and work by filling presynaptic vesicles. These chloride 
ion channels are competitively inhibited by acetoacetate, a 
ketone molecule, which ultimately decreases the excitatory 
neurotransmitter (glutamate) and increases the inhibitory 
neurotransmitter (GABA) (Giourou et al., 2015). 

Lifestyle Modifications
traumatic brain injuries resulting from accidents and 
traumas are also avoided to reduce the seizure chances 
in epileptic patients. A wholesome and clean diet is 
essential to prevent epilepsy. Reducing stress and tension 
is also helpful in protecting epileptic individuals from 
seizures. Additionally, an epileptic patient must take their 
medication properly as directed by the physician to reduce 
the chances of  seizures in epileptic patients (Akram et al., 
2022). 

Epilepsy Surgery
surgical interventions are only recommended when the 
patient does not respond to non-invasive therapies and 
medications. Focal resection for non-critical brain areas, 
such as temporal lobe epilepsy and lesionectomy for brain 
tissue aberrations, are included in surgical intervention. 



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Tumors are high-risk causative agents for epilepsy and can 
lead to seizure removal with surgical interventions. Neuro-
stimulation devices can also be used for cases ill-suited for 
resection or ablation, but they provide palliative treatment 
due to low seizure removal rates (Anwar et al., 2020).

Pharmacological Treatments 
Anti-Epileptic Drugs (AEDs)
Anti-epileptic drugs or anticonvulsive pharmaceuticals 
are considered the most essential treatment choice for 
epileptic seizures (Gopalan & P, 2023). There are many 
AEDs available, but the choice is influenced by epilepsy 
type, the patient’s general health and age, and the existence 
of  other medical disorders. About 65% of  children 
are completely cured by AEDs when administered at 
the early stage of  the disease. Particular care must be 
exercised when taking AEDs to prevent interactions 
with potentially dangerous medications. Patients should 
administered only those AEDs which are prescribed 
after the complete examination of  the drug interaction 
mechanism, potential side effects, and appropriate dose 
(Eze et al., 2015; Mir et al., 2023). When analyzing an 
AED profile for epileptic seizure, its safety, effectiveness, 
and tolerability are crucial factors to be considered. Most 
AEDs are inhibitors of  sodium or calcium ion channels 
or the GABA neurotransmitter, and these medications 
have different actions (Rana et al., 2023; Zhao et al., 2017). 
Bumetanide, felbamate, ganxolone, regtibine, parampanel 
and carbamazepine are common effective AEDs. Still, 
new AEDs are also being developed for treating those 
seizures in which the traditional AEDs are ineffective. 
New AEDs are mostly used for the treatment of  drug-
resistant epilepsy. AEDs may negatively impact the 
body’s systems, compromising their effectiveness and 
functionality. The frequently occurring side effects are 
headaches, behavioural abnormalities, ataxia, and some 
allergic reactions. 

Co-morbidities of  Epilepsy
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of  Mental 
Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) classifies ADHD as 
a neurodevelopmental disorder with four subtypes: 
inattentive, hyperactive or impulsive, combined, and 
unspecified. In children, the prevalence of  ADHD 
is estimated to be 5%, while in adults it is 2.5% (D. J. 
Miller et al., 2024). There is no particular evidence present 
whether the occurrence of  ADHD and epilepsy indicated 
a comorbid psychiatric condition or the transient 
effects of  epilepsy. Therefore, it is crucial to carry out a 
comprehensive evaluation before starting treatment for 
ADHD in children. EEG monitoring is very helpful for 
identifying unreported seizures, particularly if  inattention 
is a primary illness symptom (Ahmed et al., 2022).

Cognitive & Developmental Issues
The hippocampus is the primary target of  recurrent 
epileptic seizures, which can lead to impairments in brain 

plasticity. These impairments mainly affect the academic 
performance of  children. A systematic study conducted 
by Wo et al. (2017) examined the frequency of  academic 
challenges in epileptic children and concluded that about 
70% of  children have lower academic performance as 
compared to the normal (Wo et al., 2017). These cognitive 
issues often show after epileptic surgery; therefore, 
cognitive rehabilitation has been suggested as a treatment 
modality. 

Social Challenges
Approximately 1.1 million children with epilepsy grow up 
to be adults every year, according to the reports of  WHO 
in 2022 (Fiest et al., 2017; WHO, 2022). Adolescence is a 
critical time for both physical and psychological growth 
for anybody, but individuals with epilepsy are more 
likely to experience additional challenges such as social 
stigma, mental health and neurodevelopmental disorders, 
loneliness, and a sense of  not being independent (Goselink 
et al., 2022; Healy et al., 2020).  Numerous epidemiological 
studies have also demonstrated that people with epilepsies 
are highly vulnerable to adverse outcomes related to work, 
social contacts, family relationships, and experiential 
activities; all of  these are essential predictors of  quality 
of  life (Gauffin et al., 2022; Steiger & Jokeit, 2017). Social 
challenges associated with epilepsy are not only limited 
to adulthood, but children with epilepsy have also been 
shown to have poorer social skills than children without 
epilepsy, even in their early years.
People who have epilepsy as children are frequently 
found to have quite high rates of  social issues as adults, 
which leads to challenges in maintaining a job, engaging 
in family, community and cultural life, and developing 
interactions with others. Therefore, it is necessary to 
prioritize social functioning to improve the life quality of  
people with epilepsy (Asadi-Pooya et al., 2021; Goselink 
et al., 2022; Steiger & Jokeit, 2017). It is questionable 
to what extent social competency issues are caused by 
psychosocial issues or underlying deficiencies brought 
on by brain injuries associated with epilepsy. From a 
psychological point of  view, social participation and the 
capacity to implement parental overprotectiveness and 
seizure fear. 

RECOMMENDATIONS
This study found that genetics, demography and co-
morbidities all contribute to the development of  epilepsy. 
The aetiology of  epilepsy is multifaceted; therefore, a 
multidisciplinary and integrated strategy should be used 
to treat epilepsy in children and adolescents.
More studies should also be conducted in the UAE 
population to estimate the prognosis and diagnosis of  
the disease and the effectiveness of  available treatment, 
including brain imaging, scanning and other biological 
markers. Genomic sequencing and analysis should also 
be given significant importance as they have clinical 
implications and would be helpful for the precise 
management of  epilepsy types.



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CONCLUSION 
UAE should raise awareness among the people to remove 
the myths related to epilepsy through media campaigns 
and school-based health education. It is also important 
to undertake initiatives aimed at increasing epilepsy 
knowledge, eliminating stigma, and improving early access 
to healthcare services. Neonates and children should give 
extra attention to prevent difficulties that could harm their 
development. Additional research should be carried out 
in the UAE to identify the actual risk factors for epilepsy 
among children. There is also a need to implement new 
techniques for the treatment of  epilepsy. 

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