ABSTRACT
Epilepsy and intellectual disability (mental retardation) are two of the commonest major neurodevelopmental disabilities. They often occur in combination. Intellectual disability is defined as a chronic or lifelong inability to care for oneself in a manner comparable to one’s peers, resulting from a low intelligence level (IQ 70) before the age of 18 years. When associated with intellectual disability, epilepsy tends to be difficult to treat or completely intractable. Therefore, epilepsy combined with intellectual disability constitutes both a serious medical challenge and an economic load on the health care system. Investments in prevention, early diagnosis and treatment and management of both intellectual disability and epilepsy may markedly diminish institutionalization and other costs of care, and help patients to become more independent.
