At least 40 per cent of childhood epilepsy due to brain injury —Expert

Although superstitions still subsists on causes of epilepsy in Nigeria, a child expert, Professor Ikeoluwa Lagunju, has said that at least 40 per cent of epilepsy in children are due to an underlying brain injury.

Professor Lagunju stated this in her inaugural lecture titled ‘Taming the Scourge: Panacea for the Dreaded Brain Catastrophes’ at the University of Ibadan.

Lagunju, a professor of paediatrics, said that most of these brain injuries are due to brain infections, severe birth asphyxia and traumatic brain injury.

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The don said poor healthcare delivery system in Nigeria remains a major contributor to the burden of childhood epilepsy with as many as 40 to 60 per cent of cases resulting from preventable causes.

She warned that contribution of brain injuries to the burden of childhood epilepsy in the country has been on the rise in the last two decades and requires attention.

According to her, “falls from heights when children are poorly supervised, living in houses without adequate railings and protective devices and road traffic accidents have been the leading causes.”

The expert said this is contrary to the situation in developed countries, where genetic epilepsies constitute the larger proportion of childhood epilepsy cases.

Professor Lagunju declared that children living with epilepsy in countries like Nigeria face the added burden of stigmatisation, strong myths and cultural beliefs about the disease and harmful practices geared towards its treatment.

The expert, noting that the process of brain development is determined by gene and the environment, said trauma to the brain can also result in cerebral palsy and stroke in children.

Professor Lagunju said that prematurity is the leading cause of cerebral palsy in developed countries as a result of the improved survival of preterm or low birth weight babies, aside from severe cases of asphyxia, jaundice, and brain injections like meningitis in newborn babies.

On stroke, she said sickle cell disease remains its leading cause in children.

According to her, “although stroke occurs more commonly in older persons, it can occur at any age.

“Two of every three strokes in Nigerian children are due to sickle cell disease. One out of every three Nigerian children with sickle cell disease has an increased risk for developing a stroke.”

She lamented that children with developed brain disorders like stroke epilepsy and cerebral palsy do not have access to professional services due to the dearth of specialists in this field of medicine.

Professor Lagunju, however, said cost-effective interventions such as immunisation, good nutrition, including exclusive breastfeeding, safe delivery practices and genetic counselling can help prevent the majority of diseases and conditions that injure the brain in children.