Case Study
Seizure Disorders in Autism

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Abstract.

Several reports have suggested that autistic individuals are at greater risk for developing seizure disorders, particularly in adolescence. In this study the frequency of seizures in a series of 192 autistic individuals was examined; 21% of cases had exhibited a seizure disorder. Seizure disorders were more common among individuals with lower IQ. Age specific incidence revealed a 3− to 22-fold increase in risk for seizure relative to the normal population. In contrast to previous studies, risk for developing seizures was highest during early childhood although it was also elevated during early adolescence.

Key Words:

autism
seizures
epilepsy
EEG

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This work was supported in part by the William T. Grant Foundation, MHCRC Grant 30929, CCRC Grant RR00125, NICHD Grant HD-03008, NIMH Grant MH00418, the John Merck Fund, and Mr. Leonard Berger. Dr. Mary Schwab-Stone's helpful reading of the manuscript is gratefully acknowledged.