A deep insight on psychological aspect in patients with Sturge-Weber syndrome

Abstract

Studies on Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) have already focused on various medical aspects of this syndrome. This review is focusing on the psychological aspects of Sturge-Weber syndrome patients, the behaviors of patients, and the effects of the disease on the children. This disorder is characterized by angiomas, glaucoma, and seizures with a birthmark. Patients with this syndrome have behavioral problems, a lack of social skills, and a lack of intellectual or academic skills. These patients are usually introverted because of a lack of warmth and limited communication. Friends or classmates tease them by calling them "ugly." All this leads to a lack of social skills, and they mostly keep their feelings to themselves and prefer to be alone. Because of all this mocking by classmates, they keep isolating themselves. All this causes psychological problems in children. They start behaving differently, have suicidal tendencies, and fight with their friends who bully them. Psychological problems are mostly seen in children who are lacking in intelligence and functioning and who have seizure disorders, mostly in those who have frequent seizures. Problems like anxiety, depression, mood changes, anger, and violence are also observed in these patients. All this is always ignored by the parents as well as the doctors. This review aims to focus on the psychological aspect of the patients with SWS, to inform the parents about the behavior of their children with SWS, and to pay more attention to the psychological problems. This review is focusing on the importance of the psychological behavior of patients with SWS, how to diagnose it at an early stage, and how to treat and take care of children with SWS.

Keywords: Anxiety; depression; psychological; suicidal tendencies.

Figure 1

Pathogenesis of Sturge Weber syndrome[8]