Abstracts

Rationale: To assess parent and child satisfaction and perceived benefits and drawbacks of outpatient ambulatory EEG (AEEG).Methods: Families of all children undergoing outpatient, AEEG from May 31, 2006 through April 30, 2007 were invited to participate in a brief survey regarding their experience with this test. Parents/caregivers completed a questionnaire about perceived benefits and drawbacks of this study, difficulties that their child had tolerating the AEEG, degree of restriction in usual activities for their family and overall satisfaction with the AEEG on a Likert scale. Parents/caregivers also completed the 8-item Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ). Children with an estimated developmental age of >7 years completed a survey querying degree of discomfort, best and worst parts of the AEEG, degree of restriction of activities and overall satisfaction on a Likert scale.Results: The study group consisted of all families whose child had an AEEG and completed the questionnaire during the study period [37/57 (65%)]. The mean age of children in the study group was 9.1 yrs (SD 4.7) and 81% had a history of epilepsy. Mean parent and child satisfaction with the AEEG was rated as 4.4/5 (SD 0.6) and 3.4/5 (SD 1.1), respectively, (higher score more positive). The main benefit cited by parents were avoiding hospitalization (62%), being able to stick to routine (35%) and getting a more accurate answer (3%). Drawbacks to the family were cited by 59% and included worry about equipment (19%), lack of nursing help at home (11%), need for two trips to hospital (11%) and lack of video (8%). Drawbacks to the child were cited by 43% and included need to carry a backpack (19%), embarrassment (14%) and discomfort (11%). Families reported restrictions to the child’s usual activities in 62% and to the parent’s activities in 51%. The mean score on the CSQ was 29.4 out of a maximum of 32. Of 22 children completing the child survey, mean discomfort was rated as 2.7/5 (SD 1.3) where higher scores indicate greater discomfort. Restriction in school attendance was reported by 67% of children, in playing outside by 59%, in playing inside by 32% and in sedentary activities at home by only 5%. Conclusions: Satisfaction with pediatric outpatient AEEG is high in parents and moderate in children. While this test is associated with restricted activities of both the child and their parent, its major benefit is avoidance of hospitalization and allows a family to maintain a more normal routine.