Correlation Between Temperament Type And The Ability Of Sensory Integration In Epileptic Children

ObjectiveTo investigate the temperament type, the ability of sensory integration in epileptic children and the correlation between them. To investigate the relationship between epileptic children’s temperament type, the ability of sensory integration and the family background, which may provide the evidence for family health care, education and training for these children, in order to avoid their behavior problems.MethodsExperimental group refers to172cases of ambulatory or hospitalized children between3to7years old, who were diagnosed of epilepsy between Dec,2012to Dec,2013, according to the diagnostic criteria of ILAE,1981.174cases of children only suffered from upper respiration infection were brought into the research as control group in the same period. Temperament Questionnaire For Children of3-7years old, which was edited by Carey and was standardized by professors of our country, and the Judgment Scales for Children’s Sensory Integration Ability which was edited by professor Zheng Xin-Xiong Taiwan, and a Family Condition Questionnaire designed by ourselves were used in the research. Survey the temperament type, the ability of sensory integration and the family condition, the result of whom were input into computer and were auto-evaluated and output by a certain software. The temperament type was classified into fine types:trouble type, tired-close type, slow launched type, plain type and easy-close type. According to the practical significance of the temperament type, trouble type, tired-close type and slow launched type were classified into difficult type. On the other hand, plain type and easy-close type are classified into easy type. So, the temperament type was finally distributed into two types:difficult type and easy type. The temperament types were classified into9dimensions:activity level, rhythmicity, phobotaxis, adaptability, response intensity, mood, persistence, distractability and threshold of response. The computer software can auto-convert the primary scores into standardized scores of the Sensory Integration Ability Questionnaire. The results include:gross muscle and balance disturbance (vestibule unbalance), bad noumenal sense and body coordination disturbance, excessive tactile defense and emotional unstable, deficiency in learning ability and special problems for elder children. Mild sensory integration disturbance refers to one of the four groups of standard scores was lower than40. Severe sensory integration disturbance refers to more than one of the four groups of standard scores were lower than30. Compare the epileptic group and the normal group, using SPSS16.0to deal description analysis,t-test, Χ2-test and Logistic regression analysis.Results1. The EP group and the control group had significant differences in the distribution of the temperament type (x2=19.742, P<0.05). After combination, differences were also significant (x2=15.843, P<0.05). The percentage of difficult type in EP group (50%) is significantly higher than in control group (29.1%).2. There are significant differences between the two groups in such five temperament dimensions:activity level, adaptability, persistence, distractability and threshold of response (P<0.05).3. The EP group has higher incidence of sensory integration disturbance than the control group(x2=58.687,P<0.05). The incidence of sensory integration disturbance in EP group is higher than in control group.4. There are significant differences in all parts of sensory integration ability between the two groups (P<0.05).5. There are significant differences in sensory integration ability between easy and difficult type in EP group children(x2=9.321,P<0.05). Difficult type epileptic children are easier to have sensory integration disturbance. 6. There is no significant difference between sensory integration ability and temperament types in control group (P>0.05).7.The correlation between all parts of sensory integration ability and temperament dimensions:gross muscle and balance are strongly negatively correlated with activity level, adaptability, persistence; excessive tactile defense and emotional unstable are strongly negatively correlated with phobotaxis and adaptability; bad noumenal sense and body coordination disturbance are strongly negatively correlated with phobotaxis,adaptability and persistence; deficiency in learning ability is strongly negatively correlated with activity level, adaptability and persistence; and general negatively correlated with mood and distractability.8.The research using Logistic regression analysis between temperament types and family factor indicates:living in country and agreement in family education attitude are protective factors for difficult type of temperament in EP children; girl is a risk factor in the difficult type of temperament. The research using Logistic regression analysis between sensory integration ability and family factor indicates:agreement in family education attitude is a protective factor for sensory integration disturbance; without pre-natal influence is a risk factor for sensory integration disturbance.ConclusionMore epileptic children are difficult temperament type. On temperament dimensions, EP children show passive and difficult to raise on temperament dimensions, on whom we should pay more attention. EP children have high incidence of sensory integration disturbance or even severe sensory integration disturbance, who have significant sensory integration problems. There are relationship between temperament type and sensory integration ability in EP children. Difficult type has higher tendency of sensory integration disturbance. There are relationship between all parts of sensory integration and each dimension of temperament type. There are relationships between temperament types and living place, family education attitude and gender in EP children. Family education attitude and having pre-natal influence or not have effects on sensory integration ability in EP children.