History taking

People with developmental disability may have communication difficulties. When taking a history, it is important to interview people who have witnessed the episodes in question (eg parents, carers). A video of the suspected seizures captured on a smartphone can be very helpful; however, consent must be obtained from the person or their substitute decision maker before recording a suspected seizure. For more advice on consent, capacity and decision making in people with developmental disability, see here.

For strategies to facilitate history taking for a person with developmental disability, see Taking a history.

The history of a person with developmental disability and suspected epilepsy should include:

• description of seizures
• relevant environmental circumstances (eg a recent change of home)—these may help differentiate seizures and behaviours
• antecedents to seizures (eg infection, sleep deprivation)
• history of seizures in childhood (eg from parents, medical records)
• sleep history.