One-year follow-up of treatment outcomes and patient opinions of Retraining and Control Therapy (ReACT) for pediatric functional seizures

Abstract

Retraining and Control Therapy (ReACT), a short-term treatment for pediatric functional seizures (FS), has been demonstrated to improve FS in children compared to supportive therapy. However, long-term maintenance of FS-reduction after ReACT is unclear. This study aims to assess seizure frequency 1 year after ReACT and determine patient and parents’ opinions of ReACT. Children with functional seizures who previously completed ReACT and their parents were asked to report 30-day FS frequency 1 year after completing ReACT. They also reported if ReACT was helpful. Paired samples t-tests were used to compare FS frequency before ReACT to 1 year after and to compare FS frequency in 30 days after ReACT to 1 year after. Fourteen children (Meanage = 15.43) and their parents participated. Seven-day FS frequency for patients at 1-year follow-up (Mean = 0.15) was significantly lower than 7-day FS frequency pre-ReACT (Mean = 5.62; p = 0.005). No differences were found when comparing FS frequency during 30 days post-ReACT (Mean = 0.29) and in 30 days before 1-year follow-up (Mean = 0.71). This study confirms long-term maintenance of FS-reduction after ReACT and supports the efficacy of targeting FS directly as opposed to mood or stress for reducing FS. Additionally, children and parents believe ReACT is beneficial.

Keywords

• Treatment
• Functional seizures
• Pediatric