§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of Otahara Syndrome (Early Infantile Epileptic Encephalopathy) are known in the United Kingdom; whether there is a specialist unit for its treatment; and what(a) support groups and (b) charities have been formed to assist sufferers and their families. [110065]
§ Mr. HuttonEpilepsy is the commonest chronic neurological disorder affecting between 400,000 and 420,000 people—one in 200 of the United Kingdom population and including 100,000 children.
There is no epidemiological information available on the number of children with Otahara Syndrome and we are not aware of any specialist units for the treatment of this condition. Treatment is usually via the prescription of anticonvulsants.
It is for health authorities and primary care groups to plan and arrange the services available to people in their care. However, complex epilepsy is included in the comprehensive list of specialised services in the Health Service Commissioning in the New National Health Service. This means that regional offices will need to give special consideration to commissioning services for people with complex epilepsy.
We are not aware of any support groups or charities formed specifically to assist people with Otahara Syndrome and their families. However, support and advice is available from the members of the Joint Epilepsy Council such as the British Epilepsy Association and The National Society for Epilepsy.