Fast Facts: Epilepsy and Intellectual Disabilities
2026, S.Karger AG, ISBN electronic: 978-3-318-07520-5 , ISBN print: 978-3-318-07417-8, English
Authors: Phil Tittensor and Rohit Shankar
Brief description:
Epilepsy is significantly more common in people with intellectual disability than in the general population, yet its diagnosis and management in this group are often complicated by communication difficulties, atypical presentations, and a higher risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). People with an epilepsy and intellectual disability also frequently have coexisting physical, psychiatric, and behavioural needs that demand a coordinated, person-centered approach to care. 'Fast Facts: Epilepsy and Intellectual Disability' offers clinicians a practical, evidence-based guide to recognising, investigating, and treating epilepsy in this often-overlooked population, equipping the multidisciplinary team with the knowledge and confidence to improve outcomes and reduce risk for some of their most vulnerable patients.
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Epilepsy Sparks Insights podcast episodes - with the authors
What is an Epilepsy Specialist Nurse? - Phil Tittensor
What is an Epilepsy Consultant Nurse? - Phil Tittensor
Supporting people with Intellectual Disability & Epilepsy - Prof. Rohit Shankar
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Phil Tittensor is a Consultant Nurse for the Epilepsies at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Honorary Lecturer for the University of Wolverhampton, UK. He is a Registered Nurse for people with Learning Disabilities (RNMH) and holds a Diploma in Nursing (DipN), a master’s degree in epilepsy (MSc), and is also a nurse independent prescriber (NIP). Mr Tittensor is Chair of the Epilepsy Nurses Association (ESNA) and has a seat on the UK Epilepsy PSP Steering Group, which co-ordinates research priorities under the auspices of Epilepsy Research UK. He is a principal investigator for several epilepsy studies at present and has an interest in non-epileptic attack disorder (NEAD).
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Rohit is a professor in Neuropsychiatry with University of Plymouth Medical School and director of its Cornwall Intellectual Disability Equitable Research (CIDER) unit https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/cider-cornwall-intellectual-disability-equitable-research. He is the Associate Dean for academic training for the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych).
Awarded a MBE (2018) for services to the learning disability community he has national/international awards including the RCPsych team of the year for digital innovation (2023) and intellectual disability (2021), BMJ awards for mental health (2020), Education (2019) Neurology (2016), Innovation (highly commended-2017), ILAE Epileptic Disorders best paper (2017) and Epilepsy Foundation America SUDEP Challenge (2016). He has over 300 index-linked publications/ book-chapters and led/contributed to various national reports. Publications are on https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1183-6933. He is a consultant in developmental Neuropsychiatry & Clinical Director at Cornwall Partnership NHS FT and deputy chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists faculty for Intellectual disability. His interests are in co-producing translational clinical research in neurodevelopmental/neuropsychiatric disorders, clinical risk management, and use of implementation science for health technology.