INTRODUCTION Children with epilepsy have a higher risk of suffering from cognitive and behavioural disorders, the intensity and repercussions of which may be more or less important.

AIM To examine the different factors, dependent on epilepsy, its cause or the treatment, which can affect the cognitive development of children with epilepsy. DEVELOPMENT. To this end, a review was carried out of the studies that have provided data about the causes of cognitive disorders in children with epilepsy, and we suggest which children with epilepsy are at greater risk of suffering cognitive disorders and how they must be treated.

CONCLUSIONS Children with epilepsy often experience cognitive and behavioural difficulties for the rest of their lives. Sometimes these problems can be avoided, or at least improved. Being familiar with them, together with their early detection and treatment must be priorities for neuropaediatricians who treat children with epilepsy.

Introducción Los niños con epilepsia tienen un riesgo incrementado de padecer trastornos cognitivos y comportamentales de mayor o menor intensidad y repercusión.

Objetivo Estudiar los diversos factores, dependientes de la epilepsia, de su causa o del tratamiento, que influyen en el desarrollo cognitivo del niño con epilepsia.

Desarrollo Para ello, se revisan los estudios que han aportado datos sobre las causas de las alteraciones cognitivas en niños con epilepsia, y sugerimos qué niños con epilepsia tienen mayor riesgo de padecer alteraciones cognitivas y cómo deben ser tratados.

Conclusiones Las dificultades cognitivas y comportamentales acompañan con frecuencia la vida del niño con epilepsia. En ocasiones, es posible evitar, o al menos mejorar, estos problemas. Conocerlos, detectarlos e intervenir a tiempo deben ser prioridades para el neuropediatra que trata niños con epilepsia.