With any child, behavioral issues are difficult to face. Questions come up about the cause of the outburst and the best way to discipline the child. Supporting a child with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) brings special challenges. As a parent or caregiver, you should be aware of how your child's behavior can be affected by LGS.
Though it may be difficult to hear, LGS can do more than cause physical trauma. Children and adolescents with LGS have an increased risk of psychiatric problems. LGS typically affects mental functioning, and some children experience some degree of impaired functioning and developmental delays. Others may also experience behavioral problems.1 Examples include hyperactivity, emotional instability, aggressiveness, destructive behavior, autism, antisocial personality, or hypersexuality.2
The key to resolving behavioral problems is to understand what causes them.
Resolving behavioral problems
When a child with LGS acts out or hits, it can be difficult to determine why. A loved one with LGS may have the added hurdle of being unable to communicate effectively. The key to resolving behavioral problems is to understand what causes them. Possible causes include:
Seizures — Often, behavioral problems are introduced right after a seizure occurs.3 When this happens, the child may be reacting to fear or discomfort caused by the seizure.
Medication — Behavioral issues from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome may also be an effect of medication.1 Ask your doctor about how each new treatment or add-on therapy may interact with other medications your loved one is taking and talk with your doctor about any changes in behavior that you see in your child.
A specialist familiar with the needs of children with LGS or the developmentally disabled may be able to recommend therapy or treatment for your child.
Reaching out for guidance
You may also find it helpful to reach out to the LGS community through blogs, social networks, and online forums. Others who are caring for a child with LGS may have encountered similar situations. The advice and support they offer may be valuable.
Behavioral problems can complicate an already difficult disorder. A parent or caregiver may feel like there are so many things that can’t be controlled. But it’s important to remember that finding the right professionals to work with and being a careful observer can help make living with LGS a little easier.
Learn more: Living with LGS »
| References: |
| 1. |
Arzimanoglou A, French J, Blume WT, et al. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: a consensus approach on diagnosis, assessment, management, and trial methodology. Lancet Neurol. 2009;8:82-93. |
| 2. |
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. International League Against Epilepsy Web site. http://www.ilae-epilepsy.org/Visitors/Centre/ctf/lennox_gastaut.cfm. Updated April 30, 2005. Accessed September 24, 2010. |
| 3. |
LGS Foundation. What to expect. LGS Foundation Web site. http://www.lgsfoundation.org/what_to_expect.html. Accessed September 24, 2010. |
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