Mj. Litzinger et al., MOVEMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH COMPLEX EPILEPSY FROM AN INSTITUTION INTO THE COMMUNITY - SEIZURE CONTROL AND FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES, American journal of mental retardation, 98, 1993, pp. 52-57
The successful community placement of 15 medically fragile individuals
with profound mental retardation and complex epilepsy was examined. W
e found that simplification of anticonvulsants, early intervention for
seizures, and improved staff education resulted in (a) fewer seizures
, (b) decreases in emergency room visits for status seizures and drug-
related side effects, and (c) increased levels of functioning as measu
red by activities of daily living. This program allowed for a medicall
y fragile epileptic population to be transferred from the institution
to the community.