TITLE:
Schooling for Epileptic Children in Ziguinchor
AUTHORS:
Lamine Thiam, Khalifa Ababacar Mbaye, Ndiaga Diakhaté, Mouhamed Bodian, Isabelle Jocké Coly, Ndeye Ramatoulaye Diagne, Amadou Lamine Fall, Papa Moctar Faye, Ousmane Ndiaye
KEYWORDS:
Children with Epilepsy, Schooling, Ziguinchor, Senegal
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.16 No.4,
July
10,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Epilepsy is a public health issue in Senegal. It has neurological, cognitive, psychological and social consequences, which motivated this study, the objective of which was to examine the educational pathways of children and adolescents with epilepsy who are being monitored in the neurology departments of the regional hospital and the pediatrics and neurology departments of the Peace hospital in Ziguinchor. Methodology: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study during the period from September 2023 to March 2024 in the neurology and pediatrics departments of the Peace Hospital in Ziguinchor and the neurology department of the regional hospital in Ziguinchor. All patients aged 6 to 18 years with epilepsy who were regularly monitored were included. Results: We collected data on 47 children with epilepsy. The average age of patients was 11.45 years, ranging from 6 to 17 years. Males were the most represented (63.83%). 76.60% of patients had generalized seizures and 23.40% had partial seizures. Most patients (53.19%) had comorbidities, including behavioral disorders (64%), attention disorders (56%) and language disorders (40%). 19.15% of patients were hospitalized at least once a month due to seizures. In 55.31% of cases, a well-documented epileptic syndrome was noted. Phenobarbital was the most commonly used monotherapy (42.56%). However, 42.5% of patients did not comply with their medication for various reasons, with 6.38% of patients reporting problems with drug availability and 51.06% reporting financial difficulties in obtaining it. We noted persistent seizures in 54.17% of children, who had between 2 and 4 seizures per week. All children were enrolled in school, and 91.48% were enrolled in French schools; 38.3% of patients had experienced seizures at school. School absenteeism related to epilepsy was noted in 2.12% of patients, 4.2% were teased by other pupils and 4.2% were stigmatized at school by teachers and pupils. None of the teachers had received training in emergency procedures for epileptic seizures. 51.1% of parents were reluctant to inform the school of their child’s diagnosis. The dropout rate in French schools was 14.89%. The academic performance of these pupils varied: 5.56% of pupils were considered excellent by their teachers and 27.74% were considered to be performing poorly. Seizures had disappeared in 72.22% of patients with an average time of 17.34 months, ranging from 3 to 84 months. Persistent seizures were noted in 27.78% of patients, with frequencies ranging from one to three seizures per month. Conclusion: Epilepsy is a condition that is poorly understood by the general public, with several interpretations that can hinder children’s education. Awareness-raising and ongoing training should be continued in order to overcome this lack of understanding of the condition and ensure a better educational future for children with epilepsy.